From 3 to 6 September 2026, the international golfing elite will once again gather in Crans-Montana for the OMEGA European Masters. The 79th edition promises not only a world-class field, but also that distinctive combination of top-level sport, tradition and Alpine atmosphere that has made the tournament unmistakable for decades.
Four-thousand-metre peaks on the horizon, flower-adorned chalets lining the fairways and, right in the middle of it all, some of the world’s best golfers. When the OMEGA European Masters returns to Crans-Montana for its 79th edition in early September, one of the most spectacular golf courses in the Alps will once again become a stage for international top-level golf. With scenery like this, even die-hard golf fans may occasionally find it difficult to keep their eyes solely on the ball and the green. But Crans is remarkable not only for its setting, but also for its history. The international tournament has been held on this high plateau since 1939 and is now the oldest event in Europe to take place on the same course year after year.
When the stars are still relaxed
Those keen to experience the special atmosphere of Crans would do well to arrive before the tournament officially begins on Thursday. In the preceding days, the UBS Silver Pro-Am and UBS Gold Pro-Am take place. Things are still rather more relaxed on the greens then. Professionals and amateurs play their rounds together, encounters are more informal and spectators can get particularly close to the stars. Few embody this atmosphere quite as effortlessly as Miguel Ángel Jiménez. Casually smoking his customary cigar, the Spanish player makes his way around the course while still finding time to offer his amateur partners a valuable tip or two. Jiménez has long since become part of the tournament’s fabric. In 2026, the 2010 champion will make his 36th appearance in Valais.
Big names, big ambitions
The charismatic golfing legend will face no shortage of competition this year. Defending champion Thriston Lawrence arrives in Crans-Montana with the chance to claim his third title following victories in 2022 and 2025, which would place him among the exclusive group of three-time winners at Crans. Former champions Matt Wallace (2024), Rasmus Højgaard (2021), Danny Willett (2015) and Sergio García (2005) are also entered. Patrick Reed, meanwhile, returns to Crans after an eleven-year absence. Following a strong season, the 2018 Masters champion currently leads the Race to Dubai. For the first time, Rasmus and Nicolai Højgaard will also tee off together at the tournament. There will be plenty to follow from a Swiss perspective too: Joel Girrbach, Ronan Kleu, Benjamin Rusch, Nicola Gerhardsen and Maximilien Sturdza will all have the opportunity to test themselves against the international field in front of a home crowd.
At Golf Club Crans-sur-Sierre, however, the course is at least as much of a star as the players themselves. Nowhere is that more apparent than at the seventh hole. The short par four is one of the course’s most iconic holes and has been made slightly more demanding for this year’s edition, with the professionals’ tee moved back by around 15 metres. And then there is the 18th. With its water-protected green directly in front of the grandstand, the closing hole has witnessed its fair share of tournament drama. It was here in 1993 that Severiano Ballesteros produced one of those shots that golfers still talk about decades later: after a wildly wayward drive, the three-time champion somehow played from an almost impossible position over an obstacle to the edge of the green, before chipping in for birdie. It was not enough to secure victory – but it was more than enough to become part of golfing legend.
Up close
The 18th also demonstrates what sets the OMEGA European Masters apart from many other major golf tournaments. Around the green, players and spectators come so close together that the tension is almost tangible. And when seats in the grandstand become scarce, there is sometimes a distinctly Crans-style alternative: a few spectators simply make themselves comfortable on the roof of the neighbouring chalet. Around 50,000 spectators travel to Valais for the tournament each year. They come for the big names and the sport – but also for a place where world-class golf and Alpine holiday charm have coexisted quite naturally for almost nine decades.
3 to 6 September 2026
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