The 2011 GERMAN OPEN, hosted by GC Gleidingen near Hannover - www.golfgleidingen.de , didn't entirely go as Keanu had hoped. Score cards of Golf Gleidingen carry a quote from GOLFmagazin 2000, which reads: "If you want to experience Scottish golf conditions, you should play this course!" And accordingly, Keanu did have a rude awakening on the beautifully designed, almost links-like course!
Built into a "wind park" featuring plenty of those huge, electricity-generating wind wheels, the first day of competition at the 2011 GERMAN OPEN was rather comparable to competing in the Philippines before the eye of a typhoon makes landfall. At the end of day 1, Keanu licked his wounds when tallying his score card with a 13-over par 85.
Commented Jahns Sr.: "I felt bad for Keanu, because he actually played well, but one practice round just wasn't enough to familiarize him with these conditions."
Day 2 and 3 yielded better results at 1-over and 4-over par respectively, but Keanu was still struggling. Several missed putts from short distances cost him valuable points to remain under-par on both days.
The trained eye of German National Coach Ulrich Eckhardt though knew the potential of the Reichswald youngster and invited Keanu again to join the German National Team. Eckhardt already approached Keanu after his 9th place during the 2010 German AK16 Championship, but the Jahns family gratefully declined, due to the then 14-year old's schooling requirements.
Commented Jahns Sr.: "We appreciate German National Coach Ulrich Eckhardt extending a satellite membership to Keanu. This invitation permits Keanu to continue his schooling in Manila as well as his training with his PRO Mic Que. He will also be able to play important tournaments in Asia from October to April, while from April to October, he competes in national events for his club GC Am Reichswald, as well as international tournaments, as prescribed by Ulrich Eckhardt."
The Jahns family will now extend their stay in Europe until mid-October, when Keanu will participate in a bio-metric analysis conducted by Ulrich Eckhardt at the Technical University in Munich. Results will determine Keanu's DGV Training Plan over the next six months.
The delayed departure of the family will also enable the now almost 16-year old Reichswald gunner to compete in the "HEINRICH BARTH Championship" on October 15 at his club, GC Am Reichswald Nürnberg. The high-profile event will be hosted by renown Reichswald Founding President, Mr. Heinrich Barth.
Warmest congratulations Keanu!
In celebrating another milestone with Keanu, the Jahns family thanks Dr. Manuel Ober, Julian Hacker and GC Am Reichswald Nürnberg, Asian PRO Coach Mic Que, Joey Mendoza of GOLF DEPOT and PING Philippines, David Blakeman, Keanu's Europe-based PRO, and last but not least, the Borzym and Schoefer families for their support in facilitating Keanu's development.
