Soudal Open 2023: Course and current form stats

• Host venue short by modern standards

• Kieffer chasing Tour title No 2

• Canadian ready to make European breakthrough

From Rome to Antwerp: The DP World Tour remains in Europe, travelling 950 miles north-west to attend this week's Soudal Open in Belgium.

The tournament will tee-up at Rinkven International, which is a parkland course located around 10 miles north-east of Antwerp city centre.

This will be the fourth time that Rinkven has hosted a DP World Tour event, with previous tournaments staged in 2018-19-22.

In 2018 and 2019, the course held a tournament called the Belgian Knock-Out.

This featured a 36-hole strokeplay qualifier, after which the leading 64 players advanced to a weekend of knockout competition, involving a series of medal match-play ties, each staged over nine holes.

But 12 months ago, the format reverted to the normal 72 holes of strokeplay for the maiden Soudal Open. And this remains in place for this week's gathering.

The added incentive for those taking part, is that the Soudal Open is the second event of four, which collectively make up a 'European qualifying series' ahead of next month's US Open.

At the completion of tournaments played in Italy, Belgium, Netherlands and Germany, the leading two aggregate points' earners will be invited to participate in the third major championship of the year at Los Angeles Country Club (June 15-18).

Latest betting for this week's Soudal Open

Course Characteristics

Rinkven International is laid out in a dense wooded area of fenland. The tournament course is relatively flat, has tight, tree-lined fairways, although not long by modern standards. Its greens are smaller than the Tour average, as well as undulating.

Once again, the players will tackle a composite layout taken from the club's North and South courses.

Last year's course featured six par-four holes of under 400 yards, and a total yardage of below 7,000.

But despite the short total length of the venue, the winning score was only 13-under-par (271), while the 36-hole cut was made at one-under.

Rinkven first came to prominence in 2010 when the North Course hosted an event on the Challenge Tour won by England's Lee Slattery.

Latest betting for next week's PGA Championship

Four To Watch

Alexander Bjork: The Dane has played well on Tour this year. Was a runner-up in the Middle East during early February, and fourth in Rome on Sunday.

Jorge Campillo: Enjoying a rock-solid season on the DP World Tour, highlighted by a victory in Kenya. Each of his last five starts has yielded a top-10. Started the year with a World Ranking of 253, and is now 124.

Aaron Cockerill: The 31-year-old Canadian is moving ever-closer to a maiden Tour title. He lost a play-off in Japan three weeks ago.

Maximilian Kieffer: The German travels to Belgium on the back of a top-five finish in Italy. A one-time winner at this level, plus four-times a runner-up, that include a brace of play-off defeats.

Note: List Contains Leading Reserves