Rory Sabbatini Wins the 10th Anniversary Edition of the Penati Slovak Open

The Penati Slovak Open 2026 has its champion. Rory Sabbatini confirmed the lead he had built with a fantastic second round and claimed victory after three days of competition with a total score of −16. For the tournament ambassador, it is his second Penati Slovak Open title, having previously won the event in 2019.

The anniversary 10th edition of the Penati Slovak Open was contested over three rounds, with 65 players from eight countries taking part. The international field and the sporting quality of the tournament once again confirmed the Penati Slovak Open’s position as the most significant professional golf tournament in Slovakia.

After two rounds, the cut was made, with 28 players advancing to Wednesday’s final round. Rory Sabbatini was in the strongest position. Following a fantastic second round, he led the tournament at −11, holding a seven-shot advantage over Czech player Ondřej Lieser in second place.

The main question ahead of the final round was whether Rory would allow his closest challengers back into the battle for the title. The answer came very quickly.

Three Holes, Three Birdies

Rory began the final round in a way that immediately showed why he was sitting at the top of the leaderboard.

Birdie. Birdie. Birdie.

He recorded three consecutive birdies on the opening three holes and was already four under par for the round after five holes. His path towards victory quickly became very clear.

Instead of seeing his lead reduced, Rory continued to extend it. At one point during the final round, he held an advantage of as many as ten shots, allowing him to play the closing stages of the tournament from a comfortable position.

After three days of competition, he completed his performance on the Legend Course with a total score of −16.

The Battle for Second Place Went Down to the Final Hole

While the winner gradually became increasingly clear, the battle behind Rory was far tighter.

Ondřej Lieser, defending champion Adam Puchmelter, and Slovenia’s Žan Luka Štirn, who had led the tournament after the opening round, were all involved in the fight for second place.

The battle between Lieser and Štirn remained open until the very end.

As they arrived at the 18th hole, both players were tied on the same score. The final hole of the anniversary edition would therefore decide who would claim second place outright.

Žan Luka Štirn recorded a bogey on the final hole, while Ondřej Lieser calmly made par to secure second place outright.

For the Czech professional, it was another remarkable result in his history at the Penati Slovak Open – he has now finished second at the tournament for the seventh time.

Filip Ráža Produced the Best Final Round

Although Rory Sabbatini controlled the battle for overall victory, the lowest score of the final day belonged to another player.

Filip Ráža produced the best round of the final day, completing the Legend Course in 66 strokes, seven under par.His outstanding closing round made him one of the standout performers on the final day of the tournament.

Home Player Andrej Chochol Named Best Amateur

The anniversary edition also brought success for a home player. The title of Best Amateur at the Penati Slovak Open 2026 went to Andrej Chochol, a member of Penati Golf Club.

After three rounds, he finished the tournament with a total score of +1, securing top honours among the amateur players.

Rory Returned to a Place Where He Had Already Won

Rory Sabbatini’s victory adds another special dimension to this anniversary edition.

The tournament ambassador already knew the Penati Slovak Open from the position of champion, having first won the event in 2019.

This season, he began competing on the senior tour and arrived at Penati in excellent form. He demonstrated that throughout the tournament week, but particularly in the second round, when he produced a fantastic bogey-free round featuring eight birdies for a score of −8.

He carried that momentum straight into the final round. With three birdies over the opening three holes, he gave his rivals little hope of finding a way back into the battle for the title.

In the end, he claimed victory with a total score of −16, finishing nine shots ahead of runner-up Ondřej Lieser.

Rory Sabbatini is therefore once again the winner of the Penati Slovak Open after seven years – and this time, he takes home the trophy as the champion of the tournament’s anniversary 10th edition.

The Anniversary Edition Has Its Champion

Three days of competition, 65 players from eight countries, 28 finalists and a final 18 holes on the Legend Course brought the tenth chapter of the Penati Slovak Open to a close.

Rory Sabbatini arrived at Penati as the tournament ambassador and the 2019 champion. He leaves as a two-time Penati Slovak Open champion.

And the anniversary edition once again showed that the Penati Slovak Open remains a place where high-quality professional golf, an international field and the emerging generation of Slovak players come together.

The 10th edition has its champion – Rory Sabbatini. 🏆

Photo credit: Martin Žilka / Penati Slovak Open