Nothing to give away

Prize money millionaire prefers to fly “wooden class”

After a change in momentum, Lukas Nemecz is on a steep uphill slope.

(Bild: AFP/2024 Getty Images)

The trip to the USA was more than worth it for Lukas Nemecz! The strong performance in California gives the Styrian golf pro confidence for the second half of the season on the World Tour. The man from Graz reveals his new secret of success and is not only happy about the fat prize money cake,

July was just the way Lukas Nemecz likes it! 27th place in Munich with 21,252 euros in prize money. In the USA, 45th place in Kentucky (€11,621) and finally 13th place at the Barracuda Championship in California (€69,787). The golf pro from Graz thus broke the one million euro mark in prize money! But that's not why the 34-year-old made a big deal of it: on his flight home from the States on Monday, he didn't treat himself to an upgrade and sat in "wooden class". "Why should I spend extra money on that? I can't see the point of buying an expensive cell phone," laughs Nemecz after a month full of bears.

Speaking of bears: There are plenty of them in the area of the last tournament. "Unfortunately - or fortunately - I didn't see any. The course is 1800 meters above sea level. It's a particularly beautiful spot there," enthuses the pro. So it's no coincidence that super-rich people like Mark Zuckerberg own villas in this posh area. Although the million in gross prize money is a pleasant side effect, Nemecz is much more jubilant: "I've already played 103 tournaments at the World Tournament."

Lukas Nemecz has an easy smile on his face, the Styrian is in good form.

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

"Game feels good"
Although the Styrian is currently only in 120th place in the rankings (the top 115 get a tour card for next season), Nemecz is not worried about that. "Last year it was the other way around. I was better in the rankings, but my form was worse. I'm not so happy with the results, but my game feels really good. There is a clear trend, I played the most birdies in California and delivered consistently over all four rounds. That gives me confidence for the fall when the big tournaments come."

The reason for the strong form is momentum. "Little things creep in over time that need to be eradicated. Two months ago, my coach and I had the courage to change a few things, even if we had to sacrifice a few tournaments as a result," explains Nemecz. The courage was rewarded. "We need to consolidate these changes in the near future and maintain our good form."

For now, however, the Styrian is taking a well-deserved vacation at home and putting his rackets aside for a short breather. "Hiking in the Enns Valley and a few days at Lake Wörthersee are on the agenda. Then it's off again!"