Moravia Silesia Open Preview

The European Tour returns to the Czech Republic for the first time since 1997. The Prosper Golf Resort, designed by Miguel Angel Jimenez, will play host to the Moravia Silesia Open presented by ALO Diamonds.

Miguel Angel Jimenez designed the course
Fergus Bisset
By
published

Lowdown: The European Tour returns to the Czech Republic for the first time since 1997. The Prosper Golf Resort, designed by Miguel Angel Jimenez, will play host to the Moravia Silesia Open presented by ALO Diamonds.

Jimenez will start the tournament as favourite. Aside from being the course designer here, he’s also on a good run of form that saw him in contention at the Open Championship two weeks ago.

"I am really delighted that The European Tour is staging the tournament at the Prosper Golf Resort,” said Jiménez. “It is very exciting for me and a great honour as this was my first co-design project.”

The home supporters will get behind Czech born Alex Cejka. The PGA Tour regular has received an invite to play in the event. He’s won before in the Czech Republic, claiming the KB Challenge on the Challenge Tour back in 1997.

“I always like coming back to the Czech Republic,” said Cejka. “Everyone will be thinking I should win it and of course I will be trying to, but anything can happen in golf.”

Other notable entrants include – Chris Wood, who finished just one shy of making the playoff in the Open at Turnberry, exciting Spanish talent Pablo Larrazabal and GM Playing Editor David Howell.

Venue: Prosper Golf Resort, Czech Republic, Course stats: par 72, 7,155 yards Purse: €2,000,000, Winner: €333,330 Defending Champion: Inaugural event

TV coverage: Thursday 30 – Live on Sky Sports 2 from 10am Friday 31 – Live on Sky Sports 3 from 10am Saturday 1 – Live on Sky Sports 3 from 12.30pm Sunday 2 – Live on Sky Sports 3 from 12.30pm

Player Watch: Miguel Angel Jimenez – The Spaniard designed the course at the Prosper Golf Resort. He’ll be hoping to join his fellow Spaniard Jose Maria Olazabal as the only players to win a European Tour event on a course that they have designed. Olly won the 2005 Mallorca Classic at Pula Golf Club. Thomas Levet – The Frenchman is a consistent performer and travelling to a new venue will not daunt him. He’s on decent form and should be contending come Sunday afternoon. Jamie Donaldson – The Welshman finished in second place at last week’s SAS Masters and posted an excellent final round of five-under 68. He’ll be looking to build on that effort this week and could well go one better.

Key hole: 15th. At just 163 yards on the card, this wouldn’t appear to be the most dangerous par-3. But the green is completely surrounded by water so anything slightly off line, or misjudged in terms of distance could end up wet.

Skills required: Learning fast. As this is a new venue to the European Tour, the players will have to display their ability to adapt and take on board new challenges. It’s a challenging, tree-lined, layout where strategy and course management will be paramount.

 

Where next?

Fergus Bisset: A false impression Equipment: Ping launch new i15 and G15 ranges Competitions: Win a trip to Dubai  

 

Fergus Bisset
Fergus Bisset
Contributing Editor

Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He has also worked with Golf Monthly to produce a podcast series. Called 18 Majors: The Golf History Show it offers new and in-depth perspectives on some of the most important moments in golf's long history. You can find all the details about it here.

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?

Latest