Haugschlag, Austria - Pure spanning! The Dutch version of "Pure tension!" fits perfectly to the final day of the Haugschlag NÖ Open by perfect eagle. Max Albertus and Dario Antonisse, two Dutchmen, were right in the middle of the dramatic battle for the coveted title at the Haugschlag Golf Resort. The duo offered the spectators a thrilling final on this beautiful spring day in Lower Austria, in which both ended up in the clubhouse with a total score of 13 under par. Again, a play-off had to decide the winner.

Although it was a question of the first professional victory for each of the two Dutchmen on the 18, a final par 3, at least Antonisse himself did not have to struggle with great nervousness. "The play-off felt more like a practice round," said the 23-year-old rookie, who has known his compatriot and, in this case, direct opponent for many years. "We are good friends and so I was just a little nervous." The decision was finally made on the second extra hole when Albertus slipped his par putt past.

So Antonisse got to enjoy his breakthrough on the Pro Golf Tour. "I'm a little excited, but I think it has to settle down," he said following the playoff. "The round didn't start so well. I lost a ball on one, but from then on I played very solid. Some putts dropped and I even missed more chances." Following the opening bogey, Antonisse recorded five birdies. "After the birdie on 17, I knew I had a good chance to win."

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That Antonisse would pull off such a strong performance was something he himself was surprised about. "I didn't expect that because I had some problems with my putter in the first five tournaments. The long game was okay, but when you hit 17 greens and only play one under par, it's not good." And so Antonisse missed three cuts at the Egypt Swing. "The most important thing was that I stayed relaxed and stuck to my plan." Antonisse is used to setbacks anyway. In 2020, he had to undergo shoulder surgery after a bicycle accident, which kept him out for eight months. "That was then also the reason why I was an amateur for another year," the young professional explained.

Even though Antonisse raised his goals for the year after the victory, he hopes to return to the Haugschlag golf resort at some point. "The course was in great condition with very good fairways and fast greens." Words that Hans Geist, general manager of the resort, is only too happy to hear. The day before the tournament started, he had been able to get a first-hand impression of his course at the ProAm, which hosted the Haugschlag NÖ Open for the 13th time this year.

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