Oman Open NewsOman Golf News

Joost Luiten relishing return to Oman Open

2018 Champion Joost Luiten is looking for repeat success in Oman to set up a big year for the Dutchman

Joost Luiten is hoping a second career victory at the Oman Open can propel him to big things as both The Ryder Cup and the Olympic Games are on the 34-year-oldโ€™s radar for 2020.

โ€œI have got great memories from the 2018 Oman Open,โ€ said Luiten, who won by two ahead of Englandโ€™s Chris Wood at Al Mouj Golf in what was the first ever tournament on the European Tour to be played in Oman. โ€œThis course is one of the prettiest and best that we play all season long on the European Tour and itโ€™s a great event.

โ€œOf course, itโ€™s always special to go to a course where youโ€™ve won before so Iโ€™m really looking forward to it – to get back to the familiar sights and sounds and hopefully bring back the title again.

....

โ€œThis year itโ€™s a Ryder Cup year so a couple of wins could see me make the team. Itโ€™s also an Olympic year and Iโ€™d like to qualify for that and do well there. The Olympics in Rio four years ago was really special and this year itโ€™s in Japan which is a country Iโ€™ve never been to so Iโ€™d love to go there.โ€

Luitenโ€™s Oman Open victory was the sixth of his European Tour career and he believes the Greg Norman-designed course at Al Mouj Golf sets up well for his strengths.

โ€œItโ€™s one of those golf courses where youโ€™ve got to drive the ball well,โ€ he said. โ€œIf you start to miss fairways youโ€™re going to struggle because thereโ€™s a lot of undulation and some sandy patches.

โ€œIt can be punishing so youโ€™ve got to focus on the fairways and greens, once youโ€™re on the greens you can make some birdies and that plays to my strengths.

โ€œNormally I am pretty straight off the tee and I hit a lot of greens so hopefully I can get the putter hot – that was certainly the formula that worked for me in 2018.โ€

The US$1,750,000 Oman Open gets underway at Al Mouj Golf, Muscat on February 27 and will finish on March 1.

Show More

Related Articles

Back to top button