Thriston Lawrence will be aiming to follow in the footsteps of the great Seve Ballesteros this week when he defends the Omega European Masters for a second time.
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The South African, who claimed the title at Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club in 2022, added to his success in Switzerland last year when he defeated England’s Matt Wallace, Finland’s Sami Välimäki and Denmark’s Rasmus Højgaard by two strokes.
The 29-year-old returns to the Alps with a third victory firmly in his sights, a feat which would see him join Ballesteros as the only three-time champion (1977, 1978 and 1989) since the historic event became part of the DP World Tour’s schedule.
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Entering the week with three top-20 finishes under his belt already this season, Lawrence will need to outplay a strong field in Crans-Montana, including World Number 22 Ryan Gerard.
The American has enjoyed a stellar run of late, recording three runner-up finishes on the PGA TOUR along with an outright third-place performance at last week’s Tour Championship.
He arrives in Switzerland, having made the 4,730-mile journey from Atlanta, as the top-ranked player in the field, for what will be his sixth worldwide event in as many weeks.
Another player looking to continue recent momentum is Denmark’s Højgaard.
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The 25-year-old came close to winning his sixth DP World Tour title and second on home soil at the Danish Golf Championship last month, finishing runner-up to countryman Jeff Winther.
An Omega European Masters champion on debut in 2021, the World Number 76 returns for his sixth appearance, hoping to capitalise at one of his favourite venues on Tour.
Twin brother Nicolai will look to create his own magic in the mountains when he tees it up for the fifth time.
The Dane, who registered four top-tens to finish 35th on the PGA TOUR’s FedExCup Standings, will aim to build on his 2023 efforts at Crans-sur-Sierre, which saw him take a share of fifth place.
Joel Girrbach, one of eight Swiss players in the field, will lead the home charge, while Miguel Ángel Jiménez is set to make his 36th Omega European Masters appearance and 725th DP World Tour start.
The Omega European Masters is one of the oldest tournaments on the DP World Tour, with this year marking the 79th edition and 87th anniversary in Crans-Montana, and the 91st edition and 103rd anniversary of the event overall.
