His big goal

Straka: “I definitely want to be there”

Sepp Straka does not have the Austrian Alpine Open in Salzburg on his 2025 tournament schedule.

(Bild: Getty Images/APA/Getty Images via AFP/GETTY IMAGES/Tim Heitman)

The likelihood of seeing Austria's best golfer play in his home country remains low. Because Sepp Straka does not have the Austrian Alpine Open in Salzburg on his 2025 tournament schedule. "Unfortunately, it's not on the calendar at the moment," said the 31-year-old. However, the four majors and defending his title with Europe in the Ryder Cup are at the top of his list. This will take place in New York. "It will be chaos with the fans there. I definitely want to be there."

At the moment, Austria is more of a vacation destination for the professional golfer living in the USA than a business destination; Straka spent a few days relaxing in Zell am See before Christmas. Professionally, his focus remains on the PGA Tour in the first half of the year, with the Vienna native starting the new year on Thursday (January 2) in Maui/Hawaii. When the DP World Tour returns to its home turf (GC Gut Altentann near Wallersee) on the last weekend in May, Straka will tee off at the Memorial Tournament in Dublin/Ohio.

At 20 million dollars, there is ten times the prize money and three times as many points for Ryder Cup qualification up for grabs as at the Alpine Open. Straka therefore rates signature tournaments such as the Memorial almost as highly as the majors. "You can't really leave them out. It's planned around them."

If the two-time PGA tournament winner manages an early run of success at the start of the season, including a big haul of FedEx and Ryder Cup points, Straka might readjust his calendar. "Hopefully I can get off to a good start and win a few tournaments, then I can choose a bit better where I want to play." Competitions in Europe otherwise only become relevant in the summer around the British Open and in the fall after the PGA Tour Finals.

"Huge target" Ryder Cup
Straka certainly has his sights set on the Ryder Cup at the end of September. After his triumph in Rome in 2023, he would like to tee off in the prestigious duel with the USA for the second time - this time in his adopted US home. "It will be a different environment in New York. It's a huge goal to be there. You have to step on the gas early. So I'll be playing a lot, especially early in the season," said the ÖGV golfer. Twelve players will make it into the team of European captain Luke Donald, six by qualifying on points. Straka is currently the eleventh-best European in the world rankings.

The Austrian looked back on 2024 with satisfaction. "I had a good year, played pretty solid, especially from the tee to the green. I made it back to Atlanta (PGA Tour final, ed.), but unfortunately I didn't win, of course. But you can't force it," Straka summarized. The only thing he wasn't happy with was his short game. "It really could have been a great year if the putter had been a bit better. In terms of iron play, I think it was my best year. But in terms of putting, there is still a lot of room for improvement."

This is exactly where Straka wants to start in 2025 and improve his game on the greens. "I've been working on that for weeks now. The biggest goal is to get the putter to the same level as the rest of my game." This should already be achieved at the start of the year at the two PGA competitions in Hawaii.