Aalden, Netherlands – What sounds like a hackneyed golf cliché proved true once again on the third day of the Mono Gelpenberg Open: a golf tournament is decided on the last nine holes of the final round. In this case, Timo Vahlenkamp played the best golf at De Gelpenberg in the final phase of the second event of the Dutch Swing and earned his first victory of the season with rounds of 72, 66, and 67 strokes. On the back nine, the 27-year-old recorded four birdies, allowing him to afford a final bogey on the challenging 18th hole and still finish one stroke ahead of runners-up Lars van der Vight, Yannick Schütz, and Nico Lang.

“The round was very special.”

Vahlenkamp appeared happy and relieved at the end of the round. Naturally, he was delighted with his first victory of the season, which moved him up to fifth place in the Order of Merit. At the same time, there was brief confusion after his bogey as to whether he would have to go into a playoff. “It was a bit confusing because the live scoring showed something different,” the winner revealed shortly after his 80-centimeter putt for the title.

“The round was very special. I started very well and then lost my way,” Vahlenkamp recalled of his final round. “I wasn't hitting any fairways or greens anymore. But I still managed to make every up-and-down as if by magic. There was a lot going on.” The “difficult phase” helped him stay alert. "That way, I was working under pressure the whole time. That helped me a lot in the end.” And so Vahlenkamp, who plays for GC Berlin Stolper Heide, was able to celebrate his third title on the Pro Golf Tour. In 2023, he was successful twice and even rose to the top of the Order of Merit as the winner.

Leaderboard: All results at a glance
Order of Merit of the 2025 Season

Uncertain future

Vahlenkamp really didn't expect to win this week in Aalden. He skipped the Staan Open because he had to organize his move. As a result, his preparation for the Mono Gelpenberg Open was less than ideal. “I only spent three hours on the golf course last week. On Monday, I drove to the Pro-Am and just wanted to see what would happen,” he said.

In general, Vahlenkamp is currently facing an uncertain future. He is considering becoming a golf coach and is already taking the relevant PGA exams. “I'm taking the steps to become a golf coach in parallel. But I'm keeping my options open for next year.” If he manages to qualify for the HotelPlanner Tour at the end of the season, Vahlenkamp will definitely give it another go. Just as he did successfully in the final of the Mono Gelpenberg Open.

Despite the mixed preparations for the week, Vahlenkamp knew from previous years what to expect at De Gelpenberg – namely warm hospitality and a great course. “It was like two years ago: really awesome. The members gave us great support, the Pro-Am was a lot of fun, there were lots of volunteers on the course ready to help us, and the restaurant did a great job too. And the course is always in top condition anyway.”

The Mono Gelpenberg Open was the second of three tournaments in the Dutch Swing. From August 26 to 28, the Stippelberg Open will take place at Golfbaan Stippelberg. There, the winner of the Dutch Swing's internal special ranking will be decided, who will then receive a starting place at the KLM Open 2026. Currently, Staan Open winner Clement Guichard and Vahlenkamp share the lead.

In the Order of Merit, Clement Guichard continues to lead ahead of Lars van der Vight, Michael Hirmer (Germany), Filip Mruzek (Czech Republic), and Timo Vahlenkamp.