The stars are ready to shine in Crans-Montana

The stage is set for another spectacular edition of the Omega European Masters, as some of the world’s best golfers gather in the Swiss Alps for one of the most iconic events on the DP World Tour.

This year’s tournament promises plenty of excitement, with defending champion Thriston Lawrence returning to Crans-sur-Sierre with his sights firmly set on making history.

The South African lifted the trophy in 2022 and successfully defended his title last year, edging out Matt Wallace, Sami Välimäki and Rasmus Højgaard by two shots. Now, the 29-year-old is aiming for a third victory.

“It’s amazing walking the streets. You just regenerate a lot of memories from the first time in 2022 when I won. The people stay friendly, they remember your face, and it’s nice weather this week, so it’s a nice welcome back,” said Lawrence.

Lawrence will face a high-quality field, led by American Ryan Gerard, currently ranked 22nd in the world.

Gerard arrives in Switzerland in excellent form after an impressive run on the PGA TOUR, including three runner-up finishes and a third-place finish at last week’s Tour Championship. After making the long journey from Atlanta to Crans-Montana, the American is looking forward to a very different kind of week.

“It’s nice to kind of be out here, look around, get lost in nature a little bit, and kind of bring a smile to the face,” Gerard said. “It should be a fun walk, should be a great golf course.”

The altitude will be one of the many challenges awaiting the players. With the ball travelling considerably further at elevation, precision and club selection will be crucial throughout the week.

Among the players looking to make their mark are Danish twins Rasmus and Nicolai Højgaard.

Rasmus already knows what it takes to win in Crans-Montana. He claimed the OMEGA European Masters title on his debut in 2021 and returns for his sixth appearance after finishing runner-up at last month’s Danish Golf Championship.

“It’s one of my favourite weeks and every year that I come here, I get great support,” said Rasmus. “It’s a fun golf course. You really have to control your approach game here, which I quite like.”

His twin brother Nicolai will also be looking to build on strong memories of the course. He finished tied fifth in 2023 and enjoyed a solid PGA TOUR season, recording four top-ten finishes.

For both brothers, Crans-Montana remains one of the highlights of the European season.

Swiss fans will have plenty to cheer for, with Joel Girrbach leading the home challenge among the eight Swiss players in the field.

Girrbach arrives with good memories from last year and is relishing the opportunity to compete in front of a home crowd.

“It’s an exciting week. I obviously have good memories from last year as well, and it’s always nice and special to be back home.”

The Swiss player has also been impressed by the condition of the course, particularly the rough, which has been allowed to grow significantly.

“I’ve never seen Crans like this, to be honest. It’s going to be a test this week, which is great.”

The Severiano Ballesteros Course is looking its best, with the players praising the condition of the greens while also highlighting the thicker rough surrounding the fairways.

For Lawrence, the course has never looked better:

“The greens are unbelievable. It’s probably the best I’ve seen the course. It just keeps on improving every single year.”

The combination of altitude, narrow fairways, thick rough and fast, undulating greens will demand accuracy and strategy from the players. The spectacular setting, however, remains one of the tournament’s greatest attractions.

As Ryan Gerard put it, Crans-Montana offers a welcome change of scenery after a demanding stretch of golf:

“It’s nice to kind of be out here, look around, get lost in nature a little bit, and kind of bring a smile to the face.”