Austrian Alpine Open 2025 Preview, Picks & Analysis

AFTER a four-year absence, the Austrian Open returns to the DP World Tour schedule this week with a field of 156 teeing it up at Gut Altentann Golf Club in Salzburg.

And there would be no more popular winner than home favourite Bernd Wiesberger. Having been taught by his father, he underlined his potential by winning the Austrian Amateur Stroke Play Championship three years running from 2004, before turning professional in 2006.

The Austrian won twice in France on the Challenge Tour in 2010 to rubber-stamp his place on the DP World Tour and wasted no time making his mark. He claimed early wins at the 2012 Ballantine’s Championship and Lyoness Open, then narrowly missed victory at the 2014 Austrian Open. That year, he became the first Austrian to play in the US Open and contended at the PGA Championship, playing alongside Rory McIlroy in the final round before finishing T15.

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(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)

Despite playoff heartbreak at the 2015 Irish Open, Wiesberger bounced back with wins at the 2015 Open de France and 2017 Shenzhen International. After a wrist injury sidelined him for six months, he returned strongly in 2019, winning the Scottish Open, Italian Open, and Made in Denmark - finishing third in the Race to Dubai.  

He defended a title for the first time with a dominant win at the 2021 Made in HimmerLand and made history as the first Austrian to play in the Ryder Cup, debuting at Whistling Straits.

In 2022 he signed with LIV Golf but returned to the DP World Tour last year and has struggled to rediscover his best form. This would be the perfect week to put that right.

England’s Jordan Smith is surely due a victory. He is enjoying a fine run of form. He recently finished first in US Open qualifying, coming after a tied seventh at the Turkish Airlines Open and runner-up finish at the China Open. He is a two-time winner on the DP World Tour but it seems barely credible that his last success came at the Portugal Masters in 2022. His only other success was the 2017 European Open. Born in Bath, Smith did not start golf until the age of 12 and played in the 2013 Walker Cup and 2014 European Amateur Team Championship before turning professional later that year.

He gained his 2016 Challenge Tour card by topping the 2015 PGA EuroPro Tour Order of Merit, then claimed two Challenge Tour wins to finish that season as the Number One ranked player.  

In 2017, he finished third at the BMW SA Open and secured his first European Tour title at the Porsche European Open. Smith has maintained his DP World Tour status ever since, with a career-best season in 2022 highlighted by victory at the Portugal Masters. He also represented Great Britain & Ireland at the Team Cup in 2023 and 2025.

And he played some superb golf at last week’s Soudal Open.

Tournament Winners

This is the first time the tournament has been staged since 2021, when it was won by John Catlin

The Course

Gut Altentann Golf Club is par 70 that measures just 6,941 yards. Designed by Jack Nicklaus, it is tree-lined, with lots of water and plenty of bunkers

Prize Money

Total prize money is $2.75m with 3,500 Race to Dubai points and 1,000 Ryder Cup points on offer

Form Guide

Jordan Smith is in a rich vein of form - and is far too good a golfer not to add to his two DP World Tour wins

To win:

Jordan Smith. Wonderful temperament

Each way:

Bernd Wiesberger. Home favourite

Each way:

Daniel Hillier. Last week a blip

Five to Follow

Jordan Smith. Overdue a win

Bernd Wiesberger. Would be a popular winner

Daniel Hillier. Consistent form this season

Haotong Li. Has found some consistency at last

Martin Couvre. Gifted Frenchman.

Five Outsiders To Watch

Luke Donald. Showed some class at Quail Hollow

Marcel Siem. Still has his moments

Callum Shinkwin. Big hitter

Robin Williams. His time will surely come

John Catlin. Emotional return