Russian Open Explained

M2M Russian Open
Location:Moscow, Russia
Establishment:1993
Final Year:2015
Course:Skolkovo Golf Club
Par:71
Yardage:7025yd
Tour:European Tour
Challenge Tour
Format:Stroke play
Month Played:September
To-Par:−23 as above
Final Champion: Lee Slattery
Coordinates:55.694°N 37.38°W
Map:Russia#Russia Central Federal District
Map Label:Skolkovo GC
Map Relief:yes
Map Size:200

The Russian Open was a golf tournament on the European Tour. The event was established in 1993, and was first held at the Moscow Country Club in Nakhabino, just outside Krasnogorsk, Moscow Oblast, Russia.

History

Originally contested over the first nine holes at the Moscow Country Club as an amateur tournament while the rest of the course was still under construction, the Russian Open became Russia's first professional golf tournament in 1994. It became an event on the second-tier Challenge Tour in 1996, and was added to the European Tour schedule from 2003. Between 2003 and 2005, it was an official money event on both tours, and from 2006 to 2008, it was solely an event on the European Tour calendar.

The 2005 prize fund of $500,000 was around a tenth of those of the leading events on the European Tour, even leaving aside the major championships and World Golf Championships. However, it was one of the richest tournaments of the season on the Challenge Tour. In 2006, when it became a European Tour only event, the prize fund doubled to $1 million, doubling again the following year, to $2 million.

The tournament was not played from 2009 to 2012 but returned in 2013 at the Tseleevo Golf & Polo Club. Tseleevo had hosted a Challenge Tour event, the M2M Russian Challenge Cup, from 2010 to 2012. The Russian Open moved to the Skolkovo Golf Club in 2015 where Andrey Pavlov made history when he became the first Russian to make the cut in a European Tour event. He finished 71st, last of those who made the cut.[1]

Winners

YearTour(s)WinnerScoreTo parMargin of
victory
Runner(s)-upWinner's
share ()
M2M Russian Open
2015 269 −15 1 stroke 166,660
2014 275 −13 Playoff 166,660
2013 272 −16 4 strokes 166,660
Inteco Russian Open Golf Championship
2009–2012: No tournament
2008 Mikael Lundberg (2) 267 −21 2 strokes 210,237
Russian Open Golf Championship
2007 265 −23 6 strokes 244,251
Imperial Collection Russian Open
2006 266 −22 4 strokes 130,642
Cadillac Russian Open
2005 273 −15 Playoff 67,600
BMW Russian Open
2004 272 −16 2 strokes 67,903
2003 269 −19 Playoff 66,660
2002 Iain Pyman (2) 269 −19 1 stroke 30,000
2001 270 −18 3 strokes 27,147
2000 269 −19 3 strokes 26,396
1999 273 −15 1 stroke 20,467
Moscow Country Club Russian Open
1998 270 −18 7 strokes 20,467
Sovereign Russian Open
1997 280 −8 Playoff 20,467
Russian Open
1996 203 −13 2 strokes 14,624
General Motors Russian Open
1995 294 +6
Phillips Russian Open
1994
Russian Open
1993

External links

55.694°N 37.377°W

Notes and References

  1. http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2015/tournamentid=2015068/news/newsid=269802.html Inspirational Pavlov the Pride of Russia