Andrew's Raiffeisenbank Golf Challenge (HPT) Preview

The HPT field enjoyed a week off whilst the reputation of the Tour was enhanced. It was a key part of Ryan Fox’s education, and his wins at Le Vaudreuil and Galgorm in 2015 and 2016 were valuable clues for his first Major win, as were his record in the Dunhill Links and Irish Open on the DPWT. Of course, I missed those clues. Meanwhile, 2025 HPT graduate showed the form of his life to win the opposite field event in Puntacana and secure a PGA card for the next couple of years. The developmental element of the HPT continues to shine. 

My picks from the last event, in Germany, did not shine, and only outsider Fred Biondi made the cut, Adam Wallin’s drop in form being particularly bizarre. Lars van der Vight shot a 59 in round two and clung on over the weekend to beat Julien Sale by one and take his first title at this level. The 23-year-old won twice on the Pro Golf Tour last year and has some promising amateur form, and he’s one to watch. In particular, he has plenty of experience in South Africa from his amateur days so could be worth keeping an eye on early next year, whether he secures a DPWT card or not. It was a decent field in behind him and should be an informative leaderboard for the rest of the season. Let’s get into this week’s action.

The Tournament

For the second year, Raffeisenbank sponsor this long-standing event in Czechia. I’m sure their support is valued, but I struggle to spell the name of their bank, and as it is held at Kaskada Golf Resort and used to be called the Kaskada Challenge, they frustrate me. Anyway, we’re just outside of Brno in central Czechia, and there are plenty in the field who will know what awaits them. It’s a good event, this, a course which is unusual without being gimmicky and a strong set of previous winners. I’m going to quote heavily from my preview from last year, in part because school holidays cut time short, and also because I’m quite satisfied with how I categorised the course.

“The 7,072 yard par-71 has thrown up some decent winners to date, Hamish Brown last year followed Marcel Schneider, Martin Simonsen and Lorenzo Scalise into the winner’s enclosure. Four pretty different players and this isn’t an easy course to categorise.

Length is certainly a plus here, and in the mild conditions we can expect, there are a couple of drivable par-fours (the downhill 394 yard 7th and the 353 yard 10th) as well as four par-fives that should all be reachable in two shots. That said, accuracy is often critical and the fairways are pretty narrow and surrounded by penal rough. If you read many of the amateur players reviewing this course, it is a much tougher challenge even from the up tees than can often be the case at these resort tracks. The weather is a critical part of the course defenses, as you can guess from winning scores of -16, -20, -12 and -18. Despite a few changes to the course I think that we’ll see a score in the realm of -18 or better – the -12 year was in much tougher conditions.

The other unusual thing about this course is the severe elevation changes. I wasn’t kidding when I said that a 394 yard hole is often drivable (think Plantation-level downhill - and it is often downwind too.) There are lots of uneven lies, blind shots, elevated greens – all those sorts of tricks and challenges on a hilly golf course. There are a few courses worth considering for comparison – St. Mellion hosted the British Challenge in 2023 and is super hilly, and Adamstal in Austria, home of the Euram Bank Challenge is also worth looking at. On the DPWT there are obvious comparisons to Crans-sur-Sierre (European Masters) and Adriatic Golf Club (2024 Italian Open.) For players with US experience, the agronomy, weather and elevation make this feel much more like a northeastern or midwestern course than anything on the west coast, and as far from Florida as golf gets! I’m really leaning on experience and skill shown on the right sort of courses, as well as current form. There isn’t an obvious statistical advantage but tee to green accuracy and length would be a great starting point.

Last year’s tournament was won very comfortably by Palmer Jackson, who is indeed American but fortunately for my blushes comes from Pennsylvania and went to Notre Dame, so he isn’t a Floridian golfer! It was by a margin his best result to date and whilst he’s back in the field, he’s shown no signs of returning to that level of performance since. We can expect windier conditions for the first two days this year and I think conditions could be quite challenging, which will certainly change things. Given the elevation changes and the weather I will be keeping an eye on players with links experience or similar, and the Blot Play9 tournament recently is of increased relevance.

The Selections

Whilst I’m happy to overlook last year’s winner Palmer Jackson, I can’t leave Hamish Brown off my team. Of the elite members of this year’s class, he’s one who somehow hasn’t won this year, though he’s been second three times and has another six top-25s from ten events played. He’s been rock solid and is a former winner here. His record on tough and windy courses is strong (31^st in last year’s Nexo on the DPWT at Trump International reads well in this context, as does 26^th at the KLM.) He’s clearly a class above many of these players, is in great form, loves this course and will be hungry to belatedly pick up his first win of the season. Despite being among the favourites, he was a straightforward choice.

Next on my list is regular selection Calum Fyfe, who is currently sitting just outside the places to win a card and will doubtless be motivated to step forward. This is exactly the right place for him to do so. The 29-year-old Scot is getting to be fairly experienced at this level and on the satellite tours and has shown his best form in challenging conditions, like so many who grew up on the Scottish links. His best result at this level was a runners-up position in the 2025 Danish Challenge which was notable for the wind on an exposed course, and it wasn’t surprising that he thrived, having won at Castletown Golf Links and Trump International in satellite tour events. Whilst this isn’t a links course that form reads well, as does his recent 21^st at Blot Play9. Playing the best golf of his career he’s exactly the sort of “veteran but still young” player who breaks through at this sort of challenging HPT event.

Finally, I’m returning to another favourite pick in Liam Nolan, who I’ve tipped before but still represents real value. A native of Galway, he’s another who goes awfully well in windy and tough conditions, witness his third place in that same Danish Challenge last year. Witness, too, his fourth place in Pleneuf at the Blot event I continue to reference. He’s picked up six top ten finishes on the HPT, all in the year and a half he’s spent on the tour and he’s ready to parlay that into a first win. Everything we’ve seen of him says that windy, tough conditions and a long golf course will help him do that, whilst his experiences in Ireland and South Africa as an amateur will certainly help him manage the constant elevation changes.

• Hamish Brown, 16/1, 2pts win only

• Calum Fyfe, 33/1, 1pt e/w, ¼ odds 5 places

• Liam Nolan, 90/1, 1pt e/w, ¼ odds 5 places

All are with Bet365, and better odds may come available as other markets open.