When the first Slovak Championship Open was played in September 2017 on the Heritage Course at Penati Golf Resort, nobody knew what history the tournament would go on to make.

The first winner was Czech professional Petr Nič, who took the title at ten under par and set a new course record in the process. The tournament was played over two rounds for a purse of €10,000.

Every year since has written its own chapter. The winners have changed, so have the format, the prize money, and the ways fans can follow the action out on the course.

One player, ten years

Few stories capture that better than Ondřej Lieser’s. He has been there from the very beginning, and he is one of the players who has shaped the tournament’s history. In 2019 he went toe to toe with Rory Sabbatini in a duel that ran all the way to a play-off on the 18th. A year later he went one better and won, collecting what was then the largest cheque in the tournament’s history at €10,000.

Lieser has stayed loyal to Penati ever since — including in 2025, when he finished a single shot behind champion Adam Puchmelter.

It is stories like these that make the Penati Slovak Open more than just another date on the calendar. Every edition has brought its own name, its own contest and its own memory. But today the tournament’s history is about far more than results alone.

Ten years of getting closer to the fans

The Penati Slovak Open has steadily changed the way it talks to players and to supporters. Online scoring, a livestream and digital media content all followed. The tournament was not interrupted even through the Covid period, and electronic scorecards, online results, start lists and an electronic Hard Card were all introduced. With the help of technology partners Konica Minolta and Orange Business, the broadcast launched on the official YouTube channel and the coverage went global.

For the tenth anniversary, the organisers are keen that the new app is not seen as a piece of technology for its own sake. The aim is simple: gather everything about the tournament in one place and put it as close as possible to the players and the fans.

The app carries tee times, the tournament programme, a live leaderboard, the livestream, news and important notifications.

A player can check their tee time or the latest information before they even arrive at Penati. A fan no longer has to be standing at the 18th to know what is happening out on the course. You do not have to be at Penati to be part of the Penati Slovak Open. All you need is a phone.

From the professionals to the youngest

Perhaps even more telling than the app itself is how the tournament has connected with the next generation.

The Chip & Putt Slovak Open was created in 2022 as part of the golf festival that surrounds Penati Slovak Open week. It is for children under the age of ten and is played on the practice grounds at Penati Golf Resort.

The first winner, in 2022, was Tereza Hájková, ahead of Danny Dědek and Nick Sciranka.

The children’s tournament has found a permanent place in the Penati Slovak Open programme ever since. What began as a one-off has become a tradition, and one of the most enjoyable parts of the whole golf week. On one side of the resort, professionals compete for the title and €10,000; on the other, children who may only just be starting out.

In this anniversary year the two worlds come a little closer together. For the first time, the Chip & Putt will be streamed live — directly through the Penati Slovak Open App.

The 2026 Chip & Putt, which takes place on Sunday 6 September, is supported by the Ryder Cup European Development Trust as part of its work backing grassroots golf across Europe.

It may look like a small children’s tournament today. But in a few years it might be worth looking back and saying: “That player started right here.”

Ten years of history — and another chapter ahead

The Penati Slovak Open began in 2017, and every year since has made history: from Petr Nič to Filip Mrůzek, Rory Sabbatini and Ondřej Lieser, through to the most recent champion, Adam Puchmelter.

In 2025 the tournament was played over three rounds for the first time, entered the World Amateur Golf Ranking, and continued as part of the CPG International Series.

The tenth anniversary edition arrives in September 2026, and Rory Sabbatini — the 2019 champion — will be in the field, returning to the scene of that memorable duel with Ondřej Lieser.

With it comes another entry in the record books. The tenth edition. The tenth champion. The largest prize fund in the tournament’s history. And, for the first time, an official mobile app.

The app is not the goal in itself. It is simply another way of bringing the Penati Slovak Open closer to people — to the players who need to know when they tee off, to the fans who want to follow the results, and to everyone who cannot be at Penati but does not want to miss the action.

Penati Slovak Open App — the whole tournament on your phone.

This article was originally published by the PGA of Slovakia on golfslovakopen.sk. The Penati Slovak Open is part of the CPG International Series.

VISIT THE PENATI SLOVAK OPEN

Motion DNA is the algorithm at the centre of the Balance Golf screening methodology. It works from an individual player’s body and movement data to build the reasoning behind their setup and movement patterns – not assumptions, and not one model applied to every golfer.

Led by Balance Golf founder Erik Blomqvist, the session will walk through how Motion DNA works, what data is gathered during a screening, how the algorithm connects that information, and how it helps both coaches and players better understand the WHY behind setup, movement and the golf swing.

The intention is a practical one. Rather than a product pitch, Balance Golf is offering coaches the chance to see the system for themselves, ask questions, and come away with a clearer sense of how individualised movement data might inform their day-to-day work. All golf coaches are welcome and the session is delivered in English, with live Q&A included in the hour.

Both dates cover the same content, so there is no need to attend twice – simply register for whichever session suits your schedule. To secure a place, email Erik Blomqvist directly and the joining link will be sent ahead of the session.

Session one: Tuesday 1 September 2026, 8:00pm CEST
Session two: Tuesday 29 September 2026, 8:00pm CEST
Duration: 1 hour, including live Q&A
Where: Online, delivered in English

The webinars follow the partnership between CPG and Balance Golf announced in 2025, which gives PGA Members across the network preferred access to the Balance Golf system and its BG Coach Hub platform, alongside a shared commitment to creating education content and learning opportunities.

EMAIL TO REGISTER

The webinar attracted 267 attendees from 21 countries as the future of the women’s game took centre stage.

Among the organisations represented were one of golf’s international governing bodies, The R&A, alongside Scottish Golf, England Golf, Golf New Zealand, Golf Australia, Golf NSW, Japan Golf Association, PGA of New Zealand, PGA Holland, PGA of Australia, Golf Ireland and the WPGA Tour.

Delivered as part of Golf Genius’ new Digital Series, the session brought together Molly Moore, PGA (love.golf), Alistair Spink, PGA (love.golf), Matt Reagan, PGA (Operation 36) and Mark Smith (Stamford Golf Club) alongside a diverse cross-section of the global golf industry, including representatives from three National PGAs, 21 National Governing Bodies, three Tours, 132 golf clubs, four regional associations and four simulator golf venues.

The session explored three key themes: the role of experiences in building a habit; the coach as the community anchor; and how incremental learning drives retention. The discussion drew on the experiences of the panellists who have helped create 240,000 new participants globally through Operation 36, including 96,000 women and girls.

Aston Ward, Chief Operating Officer, Confederation of Professional Golf, said: “If golf is going to grow sustainably, we need to create great experiences that attract more women and girls and give them reasons to keep coming back. The session was excellent and a very interesting chance to find out more about organisations and people working in different markets, understand the challenges they face and take away practical ideas that can be applied locally. We really believe sharing like this can help move our community forward.”

Research shared during the webinar found that the introduction of incremental play increases the number of women who play and practise weekly by 54%, based on a survey of 419 women who had participated in Operation 36 across the US and Canada.

A live survey of attendees also highlighted some of the challenges facing organisations looking to grow female participation. Among the findings:

• 48% reported having a strategic goal to increase female participation by a certain amount
• 23% said their organisation currently runs no women and girls’ programmes
• 44% relied on manual workflows to track and report on the success of their programmes, with only 5% using a dedicated golf participation dashboard

The findings highlight some of the key areas Golf Genius is looking to support through the provision of insight, best practice and market-leading technology.

Mark Ingrey, Facilities Manager, Golf NSW, said “Growing women and girls’ participation is one of the biggest opportunities for golf, and organisations can learn a great deal by sharing what works. Golf Genius’ webinar series provides a valuable platform for associations to share how they are using technology, learn from one another and exchange best practice. It has been great to see the initiative evolve into a much broader programme, with relevance for clubs and grassroots facilities too. This session was a great example, bringing together practical experiences and ideas that organisations can apply in their own environments.”

Craig Higgs, Golf Genius, said “The response to this first international webinar has demonstrated the appetite across the golf industry for practical insight and shared experiences. The strong level of webinar attendance shows the importance of the conversation around growing women and girls’ participation. Increasing female participation is fundamental to the future of the game, and through the Digital Series we want to help organisations deliver measurable growth in participation by turning insights into action.”

The webinar marks the beginning of Golf Genius’ new Digital Series, following the recent launch of the third edition of the Digital Playbook. The programme of reports, insights, workshops and webinars will explore the future of golf’s connected digital ecosystem through to The Open Championship at St Andrews in 2027. The series continues in September with the Global Simulator Golf Market Report, examining the growth of the global simulator golf market.

To watch the Building Thriving Women & Girls Communities webinar, click here

To register to view to Simulator Golf Market Insights Report, please click here

To view the Digital Playbook, please click here

For more information about Golf Genius, please contact international@golfgenius.com

WATCH THE WEBINAR

The practical 60-minute session brings together Molly Moore, PGA (love.golf), Alastair Spink, PGA (love.golf) and Matt Reagan, PGA (Operation 36) to explore how golf clubs and governing bodies can develop their women and girls value proposition – whether you represent a golf federation, PGA, county association or golf club.

Attendees will take away key principles, research and case studies for building thriving female golfing communities, an understanding of the difference between “Creating Experiences” and “Delivering Programmes”, insight into how successful clubs place coaches at the centre of their communities, and how technology connects participation programmes with measurable outcomes.

The webinar is aimed at national Federations, PGAs and golf club administrators focused on increasing women & girls participation, and includes a live Q&A with the presenters.

RESERVE YOUR SEAT