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-oldโs radar for 2020.
โI have got great memories from the 2018 Oman Open,โ said Luiten, who won by two ahead of Englandโs Chris Wood at Al Mouj Golf in what was the first ever tournament on the European Tour to be played in Oman. โThis course is one of the prettiest and best that we play all season long on the European Tour and itโs a great event.
โOf course, itโs always special to go to a course where youโve won before so Iโm really looking forward to it – to get back to the familiar sights and sounds and hopefully bring back the title again.
โThis year itโs a Ryder Cup year so a couple of wins could see me make the team. Itโs also an Olympic year and Iโd like to qualify for that and do well there. The Olympics in Rio four years ago was really special and this year itโs in Japan which is a country Iโve never been to so Iโd love to go there.โ
Luitenโs 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.
โItโs one of those golf courses where youโve got to drive the ball well,โ he said. โIf you start to miss fairways youโre going to struggle because thereโs a lot of undulation and some sandy patches.
โIt can be punishing so youโve got to focus on the fairways and greens, once youโre on the greens you can make some birdies and that plays to my strengths.
โNormally 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.