35 years after the first DP World Tour event in Austria, GC Gut Altentann just outside Salzburg will once again be the venue for the top league in European professional golf in 2025.

Salzburg, 28 November 2024 – The return of the DP World Tour to Austria has triggered a wave of euphoria, and not just among golf fans. When the DP World Tour calendar was published at the beginning of November, it was officially announced that Austria is back on the DP World Tour, and on a historic golf course at that: GC Gut Altentann near Salzburg. The course, designed and personally opened by US golf icon Jack Nicklaus, was the venue for the very first Austrian Open on the DP World Tour (then still known as the European Tour) in 1990. Bernhard Langer (GER) – a true legend – won the first tour title in Austria. In mid-October 1990, the German golfing great defeated American Lanny Wadkins at the third play-off hole.

Altentann subsequently hosted the Austrian Open two more times before the tournament was moved to the east of Austria: in addition to Himberg, the Hauschlag Golf Resort and Fontana, the Diamond Country Club near Tulln was most recently home to the Austrian Open, most recently in 2021.

After a four-year break, the tournament is returning to its roots, so to speak. The driving forces behind the comeback include Leo Bauernberger, Managing Director of SalzburgerLand Tourismus GmbH, Josef Margreiter, Managing Director of Tirol Holding GmbH, and Edwin Weindorfer, CEO of Golf Enterprises, who have been working on the ‘Austrian Alpine Open’ project for more than two years.

Edwin Weindorfer, CEO Golf Enterprises: ‘After numerous DP World Tour events that we have organised in Austria and on Mallorca, the Austrian Alpine Open presented by SalzburgerLand is an absolute highlight for me as a Salzburg resident. With our expertise and extensive international network, we are bringing the DP World Tour back to Salzburg and want to offer fans on site and worldwide in front of their TV sets an unforgettable golf event. Our mission for the Austrian Alpine Open: to bring big names to Salzburg to further enhance the tournament."

Salzburg profits both ways, economic and touristic

The DP World Tour generates around 8 million euros in the Salzburg region in the accommodation and gastronomy sector, thus highlighting the importance of the Austrian Alpine Open not only from a sporting but also from an economic point of view. The entourage of players, their companions and caddies, the tour officials, the TV crew and the team on site account for more than 4,000 overnight stays and a turnover of almost three-quarters of a million euros in the accommodation around the golf club during the tournament week. This does not include the so-called secondary effects such as restaurant visits, shopping, rental cars and the like. Overall, a DP World Tour event of this kind generates a turnover of around 14 million euros, almost a third of which remains in the region.

Another important factor is the extensive reporting in the run-up to the event and the live coverage during the tournament week itself. Salzburg and Austria will be showcased as a fantastic golfing destination worldwide in over 1,000 hours of live coverage. The potential reach is around 560 million households around the world.

Deputy Governor Stefan Schnöll is thrilled: ‘By hosting the Austrian Alpine Open as part of the prestigious DP World Tour, we are once again demonstrating that our province is a true year-round destination. Salzburg impresses not only with its great hospitality and the beauty of its nature and landscape, but also with the wide range of cultural, sporting and leisure opportunities. Next year, the DP World Tour offers us the opportunity to showcase our province worldwide in a very special way."

Martin Zauner, the regional government representative for sport, adds: ’It is a great pleasure that one of Austria's biggest international sporting events will be taking place here in the Salzburg Lake District in 2025. This once again underlines our efforts to enable and host top international sport in Salzburg.’

Golf destination SalzburgerLand: perfect tee-offs and moments of pleasure

The Austrian Alpine Open presented by SalzburgerLand will bring one of Europe's most diverse golfing regions even more into the centre of international attention, says Leo Bauernberger, managing director of SalzburgerLand Tourismus GmbH: ‘The news that we will be hosting a tournament on the DP World Tour has sparked real euphoria in SalzburgerLand. In winter, we already have a major international top-class sporting event with the Ski World Cup in February, and with the DP World Tour we are now also strengthening summer and year-round tourism – because golf is an attractive proposition from spring to autumn. In addition, golf guests bring an above-average amount of added value to the country: in addition to what is on offer at the golf courses, they often also visit cultural events and have a particular affinity for culinary delights.’

‘Real home game’ for Matthias Schwab

SalzburgerLand ambassador Matthias Schwab, who is currently taking a break from golf after a tough season on the DP World Tour and the extremely close defence of his tour card, is also thrilled to be able to tee off in front of his home crowd again: ’The Austrian Alpine Open is a real home game for me, and many friends and fans have already said that they want to come and watch in Altentann.’ Schwab is not worried about the upcoming hype that always comes with a home game: ‘I haven't thought about that yet.’

From a sporting point of view, the DP World Tour Event is a real benchmark for the top amateurs of the Golf Association, who can take part in the Austrian Alpine Open with a wildcard, and an important impetus for young talent, as Niki Zitny, ÖGV Sports Director, says: ‘The return of the DP World Tour to Austria is an important step for domestic golf. The Austrian Golf Association is actively supporting this project and is very much looking forward to it, as it offers our professionals and top amateurs the opportunity to shine in front of a home crowd and gain valuable experience. At the same time, it inspires young talent and presents Austria as a top golfing country on an international level. Supporting such top-level events is a key concern for us, as they have a positive impact on the entire sport of golf in Austria, as the past has already shown. The Austrian Alpine Open continues this tradition.‘

The fact that the GC Gut Altentann is still tour-ready after 35 years is partly due to Jack Nicklaus’ fine design, but also to the fact that the club has invested extensively in a renovation in recent years. Karl Czernin, Managing Director of Gut Altentann: ‘We have adapted our course with Jack Nicklaus’ company and brought it more in line with the original design. We are delighted that, after 35 years, international top-level sport is returning to our Jack Nicklaus course. As in the three years from 1990, we will be a great host to the Austrian Alpine Open presented by SalzburgerLand in 2025.’

AUSTRIAN ALPINE OPEN PRESENTED BY SALZBURGERLAND

OVERVIEW OF THE FACTS
Date: 29 May – 1 June 2025
Venue: GC Gut Altentann
Prize Money: 2 million dollars
www.austrianalpineopen.com

Rights-free images credited to ‘GEPA Pictures’:
www.gepa-pictures.com/downloads/austrian-alpine-open/