The Icelandic Championship in Stroke Play starts Thursday – Kristján Þór: “This will be a good tournament for Keilir Golf Club.”

The Icelandic Championship in Stroke Play starts at the Golf Club Hella July 26th-29th. Golf Club Hella celebrates its 60th anniversay this year. All of Iceland´s best golfers participate and the tournament is anxiously awaited by many, since it is the largest one in Iceland each year. Defending champions are Axel Bóasson, from Keilir Golf Club (who studies and plays with the golfteam of Mississippi State in the US) Ólafía Þórunn Kristinssdóttir, from the Golf Club of Reykjavík (who studies and plays golf at Wake Forest, in North Carolina).

This will be the 4th time the Icelandic Championship in Stroke Play takes place on Strandarvöllur (the golfcourse of the Golf Club Hella at Rangárvellir, often abbreviated to GHR).  The former times were in 1991, 1995 and 2002. Úlfar Jónsson, Keilir Golf Club and Karen Sævarsdóttir Golf Club of Suðurnes (in Keflavík – abbreviated GS) won in Hella 1991, Björgvin Sigurbergsson, Keilir Golf Club and Karen Sævarsdóttir, GS, played the best of all in 1995 and 2002 it was Sigurpáll Geir Sveinsson from the Golf Club of Akureyri (abbreviated GA) and Ólöf María Jónsdóttir, Keilir Golf Club, who beat the rest. Now, 10 years later Sigurpáll Geir, who now has joined Keilir Golf Club takes part in the tournament, but not Ólöf María this time.

Golf 1 took a short interview with the 2012 Club Champion of Golf Club Keilir, Kristján Þór Einarsson (who studies and plays golf with the golfteam at Nicholls State in Louisiana), since Keilir has probably produced most of the Icelandic Champions in Stroke Play in recent years.

Golf 1: What do you feel going into the Icelandic Championship in Stroke Play?
Kristján Þór: The feeling is fine and I think I´m ready to take on this task.

Golf 1: How do you like Strandarvöllur?
Kristján Þór: The course is enjoyable and it fun to see that there is finally a decent rough on the course in some places. The greens are fine, and they will definately become better each day now, but currently they´re  a bit bouncy and a little rough, some of them.

Golf 1: Do you believe that Keilir Golf Club will manage to defend the title this year? 

Kristján Þór: Yes, I believe that the title in Stroke Play will be in the hands of a Club Member of Keilir. Keilir has many strong golfers and I believe that this will be a good tournament for Keilir.

Golf 1: What does it take to win the Icelandic title in Stroke Play, in your opinion? 

Kristján Þór: First, one needs to keep the ball in play whereas there is some thick rough in some places and then one needs to keep ones cool around the greens and make as few mistakes as possible.