The Porsche European Open is synonymous with high-class winners and high-quality golf, one of the many reasons why its return to the European Tour International Schedule after a gap of six years was met with such enthusiasm.
The roll of honour for one of The European Tour’s biggest traditional events is packed full of players who have made a big impact on the game – with the likes of Colin Montgomerie, Lee Westwood, Darren Clarke, Bernhard Langer, Ian Woosnam and Sir Nick Faldo all lifting the prestigious trophy.
Montgomerie is the most recent winner from that particular distinguished list, having triumphed at The K Club in Ireland in 2007 for the last of his 31 European Tour victories.
More than a decade before the eight-time European Tour Order of Merit winner prevailed with an 11 under par total, home favourite Langer won the event in dramatic circumstances.
The German legend holed a 60-foot putt on the 18th green to win the 1995 European Open – the first of the 13 events to be held at the impressive K Club, 12 over the Palmer Course and one on the Smurfit Course.
Langer also won the tournament in 1985 when it was held over Sunningdale’s Old Course, his 269 total bettered by nine shots three years later by a Woosnam masterclass as the Welshman romped to victory at the same venue.
Sandwiched in between Montgomerie's and Langer’s wins, Westwood managed to make a huge impact on the tournament, courtesy of back-to-back wins in 1999 and 2000.
The first came courtesy of a 17 under par total, a mark that has been bettered only once since, by his compatriot Ross Fisher, who was 20 under par in 2008.
Westwood’s Ryder Cup partner in crime Clarke also tasted success at the event when it was held at The K Club.
Buoyed by some passionate support, the 2011 Open Champion won in 2001, two years after firing a sublime 12 under par 60 to smash the course record at the same venue.
Another Major Champion to win the Porsche European Open is Retief Goosen, the South African prevailing at the 2004 edition by five strokes, just two weeks after winning his second US Open title.
You cannot look back at the colourful, significant history of this event without reflecting on Faldo’s Sunningdale success in 1992, the same year the Englishman won the last of his three Open Championship titles.
One of Faldo’s great rivals, Greg Norman, claimed the biggest individual pay-out in British golfing history at the time, and took over as the new World Number One with his win at the 1986 European Open.
Norman beat Scot Ken Brown at the first hole of a sudden-death play-off after both players had tied at 11 under par.
The history of The European Open is a long and celebrated one, and the current crop of European Tour stars, such as Graeme McDowell, Charl Schwartzel and Miguel Angel Jimenez would love to become part of that history this week.
