From Major winners to Masters talent: KLM Open ready to tee off
With defending champion Connor Syme, home favourite Joost Luiten, Major winners Francesco Molinari and Danny Willett, and tournament director Ruud Gullit, everything is set for the 106th edition of the KLM Open. From Thursday 4 to Sunday 7 June, The International near Amsterdam will provide the stage for the Netherlands’ premier international golf tournament.
For Syme, the KLM Open marks a return to the course where he claimed his first DP World Tour victory last year. The Scot wrote a memorable chapter in his career there.
“Those were difficult days, but I felt I was ready for it. I’m incredibly happy I got it done,” Syme said after his victory last year. This week, he returns to defend his title on the same course.
One of the brightest young talents in international golf will also feature in Amsterdam. Eighteen-year-old American Mason Howell, winner of the U.S. Amateur Championship, played alongside Rory McIlroy at The Masters at Augusta National earlier this year.
“It’s one of the reasons I like playing in Europe. In the United States we often have perfect conditions, but at The Open I’ll need to be prepared for less favourable weather,” Howell said, viewing The International as ideal preparation for the links golf that awaits him later this summer. Especially given the forecast for Thursday 4 June.
Orange on and around the course
The KLM Open will once again be strongly coloured orange this year. Spectators are encouraged to wear orange when visiting The International, and Dutch players and volunteers are also embracing the national colour. Two-time winner Joost Luiten will even play all four tournament rounds in orange.
“This really feels like our home tournament. I’ve won it twice, and the crowd has really played a part in that,” Luiten said.
Golf with a smile and 10 years of Beat the Pro
For the second consecutive year, Ruud Gullit serves as tournament director of the KLM Open. The former Ballon d’Or winner sees his role as bringing together elite sport and entertainment.
“I see myself more as a director of atmosphere than a traditional tournament director. The KLM Open should offer top-level sport, but also energy, enjoyment and connection. Elite golf, all with a smile.”
This philosophy is also reflected in the 10-year anniversary of Beat the Pro, the concept introduced at the KLM Open in 2016 and now replicated worldwide. In addition, KLM Open Radio will once again provide live coverage, interviews and stories from around the course.
The 2026 edition will also be the last at The International. From next year onwards, the KLM Open will move to Kennemer Golf & Country Club in Zandvoort.
Great golf thanks to challenging weather forecast
The opening day of the tournament is expected to provide an immediate test. The forecast predicts strong winds and rain, conditions that will challenge the players from the outset.
While it may not be perfect terrace weather for spectators, it is often in these conditions that golf is at its most compelling. In that sense, it is not unlike Formula 1: when the elements come into play, great champions emerge and stories are created that are told for years to come. And for true golf fans, a bit of Dutch weather is simply part of the experience at a tournament in the Netherlands.
