European Tour Heads to Familiar Stop in Switzerland

The European Tour now heads to the Swiss Alps to stage one of the longest continuously running events on the schedule, the Omega European Masters.

The past two weeks have featured a couple of fledgling European Tour events, but this week brings us an old favorite in the Omega European Masters in Switzerland, a tournament that dates back more than 70 years.

The champions list is a veritable who’s who of European Tour greats — it includes Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo, Colin Montgomerie, Lee Westwood and defending champion Danny Willett, just to name a few.

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The concurrent FedEx Cup playoffs have diminished the quality of field at Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club in recent years, but there should still be plenty of good golf to watch in between views of the picturesque Swiss Alps.

Bryson DeChambeau will be in the field by way of a sponsor’s invitation, a welcome sight for golf fans looking to watch the vibrant 22-year-old in action. Due to his limited status on the PGA Tour, he’s made just 15 professional starts in 2016.

DeChambeau will be one of the headliners of this event, along with three major champions in Willett, Darren Clarke and Y.E. Yang.

Some of England’s finest will also be in attendance, including Ryder Cuppers Matthew Fitzpatrick (runner-up in this event in 2015), Lee Westwood and Chris Wood, as well as Tyrrell Hatton and Andrew “Beef” Johnston. They will join Willett to comprise an exceptionally strong English contingent.

CRANS-MONTANA, SWITZERLAND – JULY 26: Matthew Fitzpatrick of England plays a shot during the final round of the Omega European Masters at Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club on July 26, 2015 in Crans-Montana, Switzerland. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images) /

Miguel Angel Jiménez is also taking a break from the senior circuit to return to the site of his victory in 2010.

Not known as a golf powerhouse, Switzerland will have just eight native players in the field, including four amateurs. At No. 817 in the world, Joel Girrbach is the highest-ranked Swiss national.

Hatton could be a dark horse pick to win this week. The 24-year-old has taken off this year, climbing to No. 55 in the world on the back of top 10 finishes at The Open Championship and PGA Championship. He’s also fond of Crans-sur-Sierre, where he’s notched two third-place finishes in the last three years.

If recent history is any indicator, scoring conditions should be favorable. The winning score has been 15-under-par or better each of the past seven years. However, players and caddies will have to be on point with their yardages, as the course sits some 5,000 feet above sea level.

The Omega European Masters garnered attention in 2006 when Michelle Wie received an invitation to play. The then-17-year-old shot 78-79 and finished 156th out of 156 competitors.

Notable tee times for the first two rounds:

Andrew Johnston, Romain Langasque, Bryson DeChambeau
Darren Clarke, David Lipsky, Stewart Cink
Bernd Wiesberger, Alex Noren, Lee Westwood
Victor Dubuisson, Bradley Dredge, Tyrrell Hatton
Miguel Angel Jiménez, Thongchai Jaidee, Chris Wood
Matthew Fitzpatrick, Andy Sullivan, Danny Willett

Next: Deutsche Bank Championship Top 10 Power Rankings

Who will come away with the trophy in Switzerland? Give us your prediction in the comment section, and stay with Pro Golf Now for more European Tour updates.

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