Tournament: Interwetten Open
Venue: Schladming-Dachstein Golf Club, Oberhaus, Austria
Hashtag: #InterwettenOpen
Tournament preview
James Allan is hoping to build on his best HotelPlanner Tour finish to date when he tees it up in this week’s Interwetten Open at Schladming-Dachstein Golf Club.
The Englishman finished second at last week’s Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge as countryman David Horsey came out on top in a four-man play-off, however Allan is hoping to use that experience as fuel for success in Austria.
“I had no form going into last week whatsoever really, but I changed a few things in my preparation, and I felt so much more comfortable,” he said. “I was so committed to my decisions and that really paid off on the course.
“I’ve taken a lot of confidence from last week and it has validated that I am working on the right things and I’m on the right track.
“The venue is beautiful this week and the scenery is incredible. The weather is fantastic and the golf course looks amazing, so I am really looking forward to it.”
The 30-year-old, who graduated to the HotelPlanner Tour in 2022 after winning the PGA EuroPro Tour’s Order of Merit, struggled for consistency last season but is pleased to see his game trending in the right direction again after taking a short break from competitive golf.
“My enjoyment for the game now is greater than it has ever been,” he said. “I didn’t touch a club from November after Qualifying School to the start of March this year. I had a reset which was needed, and I have come back with a real hunger and I am enjoying my golf again.
“I feel like I’m good enough to compete for a DP World Tour card this year. I haven’t really shown that until last week but hopefully I can kick on now and start to climb the Rankings.”
Allan joins a strong field in Oberhaus this week including Road to Mallorca Number One Renato Paratore and home favourites Maximilian Steinlechner and Lucas Nemecz.
Justin Walters, Curtis Knipes, George Bloor and John Axelsen will also tee it up this week having secured their spot at The Open at Royal Portrush later this month after coming through Final Qualifying yesterday.
The first round of the Interwetten Open will get under way at 8am local time, with Allan teeing it up alongside Steinlechner and Frenchman Félix Mory at 9am.
