Chris Wood defends the Lyoness Open

(Image credit: Getty Images)

published 7 June 2016

The European Tour heads for Austria this week and the Diamond Country Club in Atzenbrugg. England’s Chris Wood defends the Lyoness Open powered by Sporthlife Cashback Card.

First contested on the European Tour in 1990, this event began life as simply the Austrian Open. Bernhard Langer was the inaugural champion at Gut Altentann G&CC. Since then, Ronan Rafferty, Paul McGinley, Richard Green and Jeev Milkha Singh have all been winners.

In last year’s tournament, England’s Chris Wood produced a superb final round to win by two shots from Rafael Cabrera-Bello of Spain.

Wood began the final day five strokes behind Gregory Bourdy of France and two back of Cabrera-Bello. But as the leader faltered, Wood pushed forwards. The Englishman posted five birdies and managed to keep a dropped shot off his card en-route to a flawless 67.

Chris Wood defends the Lyoness Open on the back of his fabulous victory in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth and he will head to Oakmont next week to tee it up in the U.S. Open. Other players in the field this week who will compete at Oakmont are: Bernd Wiesberger, Matt Baldwin, Grégory Bourdy, Søren Hansen, Lee Slattery, Mikael Lundberg and Gary Stal.

Home favourite Wiesberger will be looking to secure a second win in this event – he triumphed back in 2012.

Since 2010 this event has been hosted by the Diamond Country Club in Atzenbrugg. The Jeremy Pern-designed layout at the Diamond CC was opened for play in 2000 and is a testing track with water featuring on nine of the 18 holes.

Ireland’s Peter Lawrie will compete in his 400th European Tour event this week.

The weather forecast looks a touch unsettled. Rain could be a factor from the outset.

Venue: Diamond CC, Atzenbrugg, Austria Date: June 9-12 Course stats: par 72, 7,417 yards Purse: €1,000,000 Defending Champion: Chris Wood (-15)

TV Coverage: Thursday 9 – Sky Sports 4 from 10am Friday 10 – Sky Sports 4 from 10am Saturday 11 – Sky Sports 4 from 11am Sunday 12 – Sky Sports 4 from 10.30am

Player watch: Chris Wood defends the Lyoness Open but who might he face the strongest competition from?

Bernd Wiesberger – The 2012 champion will feed off home support this week. He’s been on steady form having made the cut in every event he’s played in on the European Tour since The Masters.

Bernd Wiesberger swing sequence:

Joost Luiten – The Dutchman has cooled slightly since two second place finishes in April, but he showed good form at Wentworth with an opening 65. He won this event on this course back in 2013.

Gregory Bourdy – He’s been playing some extremely consistent golf on the 2016 European Tour and has missed just two cuts from 14 events. He led the way at Sectional Qualifying for the U.S. Open at Walton Heath and led this event last year through 54 holes.

Key hole: 16th – A par-4 of some 420 yards, it’s not length that’s the problem on this one, it’s water. There’s water all down the right side for the tee shot, then it lurks right, left and long for the approach.

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Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly.

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?

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