Double winning European Ryder Cup star and four-time PGA Tour champ Sepp Straka is excited by the chance to fulfil a childhood dream as he targets a maiden DP World Tour title at the Austrian Alpine Open presented by Kitzbühel Tirol.
The 32nd edition of the Austrian Alpine Open tees-up Thursday at the picturesque Golfclub Kitzbühel-Schwarzsee-Reith for the first time and in the process becomes the 465th venue to stage a DP World Tour event.
Straka, who turned 33 on May 1st, returns to compete at his national open for the first time since 2018 and in the year capped by finishing T3rd on the secondary Webb.com Tour to earn full PGA Tour status.
SEEKING A FIRST ON HOME SOIL ….
As the double @RyderCupEurope & 4-time @PGATOUR champ Sepp Straka looks to capture #AustrianAlpineOpen & a maiden @DPWorldTour ‘W’.
“It would be incredible to win my national open. Growing up, I always went to the Austrian Open“ he said.… pic.twitter.com/AK7JYDn28o
— Fatiha (@TOURMISS) May 27, 2026
The World No. 18 became the first Austrian to win on the PGA Tour when he denied Shane Lowry to capture the February 2022 Honda Classic in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
A year later, he won his second PGA Tour title at the Sanderson Farms Championship, before going on to finish joint second at The Open and represent Europe at the Ryder Cup for the first time.
He then won twice stateside in 2025 as he later that year became a two-time Ryder Cup winner, with the 33-year-old now hoping to end this week by becoming just the third Austrian champion on home soil after record three-time winner Markus Brier and Bernd Wiesberger.
“Anytime I can get back to Austria, it’s amazing and being able to play a tournament here is really special. I’m really looking forward to the week,“ said Straka.
“The support here has been incredible, and I can’t wait for the crowds to get to the golf course. It was a special year back here in 2017 and it was a fun week. I had probably my best professional finish at that point.
Sepp Straka and legendary three-time Austrian Open champ Marcus Brier. Image – Getty
“The course looks great and it’s really tight off the tee, so you’re going to have to hit it pretty straight. The rough is pretty thick this year and the greens are tiny. I think off the tee is going to be pretty important this week.
“That would be incredible to win my national open. Growing up, I always went to the Austrian Open. It was at my home course, Fontana, back in the day. I always went with my brother and our friends. We couldn’t wait for the week to get there and go out and watch the stars play golf. Just being able just to play here, it’s incredible and winning it would be really special.“
Straka is joined in the Tyrolean mountains by a number of compatriots including nine-time DP World Tour winner Wiesberger, Matthias Schwab, Lukas Nemecz and Max Steinlechner, who won the Interwetten Open in Austria on the HotelPlanner Tour last season.
Nicolai von Dellingshausen secured his maiden DP World Tour title after a putting masterclass on Sunday propelled him to a two-stroke victory at the 2025 Austrian Alpine Open, and the German will return to defend the trophy this week.
