Home favourite Thomas Pieters and 2018 Open Champion Francesco Molinari are set to tee it up at the 2025 edition of the Soudal Open from May 22-25, while football superstar Eden Hazard will take part in the Pro-Am on May 21.
Pieters and Molinari will be part of a 156-strong field at Rinkven Golf Club as the Belgian looks to improve on his runner-up finish in 2024, while the Italian will make his Soudal Open debut. They will be joined by compatriots Nicolas Colsaerts and Matthis Besard, with more names to follow.
Molinari is already one of the international stars set to travel to Rinkven. The 42-year-old Italian has already won six times on the DP World Tour, three on the PGA TOUR, including The 2018 Open. Molinari has also been part of the European Ryder Cup team three times, taking five points from five as Europe won the biennial contest in 2018.
"I am really looking forward to making my debut at the Soudal Open this year. I've played on the DP World Tour for a long time now so it is nice to get the opportunity to visit somewhere new, and it looks like a good golf course which should provide a good test.
"I'm looking forward to seeing everyone at Rinkven in May."
Former Chelsea, Real Madrid and Belgium international footballer Eden Hazard will be the star attraction in the pre-tournament Pro-Am on Wednesday May 21, with spectators able to attend to catch a glimpse of the former midfielder in action.
Last year, the Soudal Open welcomed more than 15,000 spectators. For the upcoming edition, the public will get an even better experience at the 18th green. The grandstand of previous years has been replaced with the public village, enabling everyone to see every player finish their rounds.
A new double-storey tent gives a 360° view of the green on the 18th hole,, but also the tenth tee and ninth green. The food and drink stands are spread over the two levels and the exhibition stands – where you will find numerous golf activations – are an extension of this. The VIP area borders the rest of the 18th green and again offers various high-quality attractions for those who want to invite customers or employees for networking opportunities.
On Saturday, immediately after the last putt, the Golf Party starts. From 6pm – 1.30am, DJs Chris Farmer & Jens De Meyerwill transform the public village into a dance temple.
Tournament director Michael Jones said: "Year after year, we receive a lot of positive feedback from our main partners, but also from spectators and players. It is very satisfying to feel the growing enthusiasm and support for the Soudal Open. The ever-increasing visibility on national and international communication platforms also underlines the growing status of the tournament. This motivates us to keep raising the bar and to provide an extraordinary experience for everyone involved."
And that will continue for at least another three years, because the contract between organisers Golazo and title partner Soudal has been extended until 2027.
Vic Baron Swerts, founder and owner of Soudal, said: "The Soudal Open has become a fixture on the international golf calendar and offers Belgian golf enthusiasts the chance to see top players at work up close. The values of golf are also in line with our core values at Soudal: performance, perseverance, attention to detail, fair play and respect... We are proud that we will continue to give Belgium a prominent place worldwide within this beautiful sport for the next three years."
Ben Cowen, Chief Tournament & Operations Officer at the DP World Tour, said: "The Soudal Open has been a popular addition to our global calendar since its return to the Race to Dubai in 2022. We are looking forward to another successful edition in May as part of our European Swing. This tournament puts Belgian golf in the spotlight and celebrates both the rich history of this national open and the successes of the current generation of Belgian golfers. They will compete at the Rinkven Golf Club alongside international top players. We are also delighted to continue our partnership with title sponsor Soudal and organiser Golazo and continue to grow the Soudal Open this year and until at least 2027."
With 1,000 strokes for Kom op Tegen Kanker, the Soudal Open is once again putting a good cause in the spotlight this year. In addition to cycling and running, golf will be the third sport in which Kom op tegen Kanker is launching an exercise campaign to raise funds for cancer research.
The 1000 strokes for Kom op tegen Kanker will be the biggest golf event in Flanders on June 13. On that day, teams of four amateur golfers will hit 1,000 balls together at their favorite club from sunrise to sunset and try to complete as many holes as possible. During 1,000 strokes, each participant gives cancer research a boost with every swing, putt or drive.
Tickets for the 2025 Soudal Open are on sale via www.soudalopen.be. Just like last year, juniors up to the age of 18 get free admission (but must reserve their ticket in advance) and there are also discounts for those who want to combine both weekend days or the four tournament days. Hospitality tickets can also be purchased through www.soudalopen.be
