Staff WriterIf day one at the Austrian Alpine Open were a symphony, Marcel Schneider played first violin with the confidence of a man who knows the tune—and the audience.
The 35-year-old German carved up Jack Nicklaus’s Alpine track with a seven-under 63, a round so tidy it might’ve been stitched by his grandmother.
Starting on the tenth, Schneider rattled off five birdies in his opening nine holes, then casually holed out from the fairway for eagle at the par-four second.
That’s the kind of shot that sends shockwaves down the leaderboard and makes you wonder whether the ball was carrying a passport.
“I just got in a rhythm and kept the momentum going,” Schneider likely said somewhere. And fair enough—when your front nine adds up to 30 strokes, you’re allowed to sound as relaxed as a man ordering strudel.
He gave one back with a bogey on the sixth, but closed with a birdie on the par-five ninth to regain command at seven under.
No fist pumps, no drama—just clinical golf on a course that rewards brains over brawn, unless your name is Colsaerts.
The Belgian Bomber and the German Shadow
Nicolas Colsaerts, once the man you’d call when you needed a golf ball vapourised, is back in the mix at five under, tied with Nicolai von Dellingshausen. Both turned in 65s, which in Gut Altentann’s blustery conditions is nothing short of first-class.
Colsaerts still swings like he’s angry at the ball’s ancestors, while von Dellingshausen keeps things more Teutonic and efficient. Together, they trail by two—just enough to keep Schneider sweating through his Merino layers.
Gut Altentann: Where Strategy Still Matters
Designed by Jack Nicklaus, Gut Altentann is one of those layouts that asks a thousand questions and punishes the wrong answers with polite Austrian ruthlessness.
There’s risk-reward all over the place—particularly on the short par-fours and reachable par-fives, but if you miss your lines, this course turns colder than a Viennese waiter at closing time.
The second hole, where Schneider jarred his eagle, is the type of hole Jack himself would’ve either birdied or cursed at in five languages.
The sixth, where Marcel dropped his only shot, played more like a chess match than a hole of golf—decisions, decisions, and none of them obvious.
Veterans, New Blood, and Ryder Cup Royalty
Four players are lurking at four under, including Aaron Cockerill of Canada and Dan Hillier of New Zealand, both of whom finished their work in the morning shift.
By afternoon, they were joined at the number by two names golf fans will remember with fondness and maybe the odd Ryder Cup hangover: Rafa Cabrera Bello and Edoardo Molinari.
The Spaniard still swings like poetry in motion, while Molinari—who now splits his time between scoring birdies and calculating stats for the European team—showed there’s still gas in the tank.
And somewhere in that crowded leaderboard at three under, you’ll find Kristoffer Reitan, fresh off a win at the Soudal Open.
No fireworks today, but he’s keeping himself within shouting distance. He’s one of 13 players tied at -3, and if the weather turns or nerves start jangling, that bunch could cause some chaos.
Verdict: Worth Your Seat on Sunday
So is this one worth watching? Absolutely. Schneider’s out front, but he’s got company that knows how to close. The field’s stacked tighter than an après-ski bar in January, and Gut Altentann’s subtleties will only sharpen as pressure mounts.
Keep an eye on Colsaerts. If the putter behaves and the driver doesn’t do anything French, he could steal the show.
And don’t sleep on Cabrera Bello—he’s the kind of guy who wins when nobody’s looking.
Final word? If you’re a fan of smart golf, vintage names and the odd fairway eagle, this one’s worth your seat on Sunday. Just don’t blame me if it ends in a playoff and you miss your flight.
