The European Challenge Tour remains on familiar territory this week for the final event of the Spanish Swing as the Challenge de España takes place at Iberostar Real Club de Golf Novo Sancti Petri, from June 15 – 18. Here is what you need to know before play begins on Tuesday…
Tournament record held by multiple Major winner
Brooks Koepka holds the record for the lowest score at the Challenge de España. The American finished the tournament on 24 under par in 2013 with an astonishing ten stroke margin of victory over Spaniard Luis Claverie, France’s Édouard Dubois and Germany’s Bernd Ritthammer.
The former World Number One believes he would not be where he is today without the Challenge Tour as it provided the pathway for him to achieve greatness. Koepka earned his European Tour card three weeks after victory at the Challenge de España and has since won six European Tour and eight PGA TOUR events, including four Major Championships. The Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year has conquered both the US PGA Championship and the U.S. Open twice and currently ranks 20th on the list of all time men’s Major Championship winners.
Ballesteros’ masterpiece
Real Club de Golf Novo Sancti Petri was designed by the great Severiano Ballesteros at the start of 1990. The picturesque course has been painted to perfection by the artist with undulating fairways leading to steeped greens and Seve’s signature S-shaped bunker on the 18th hole. The front nine is played on open exposed land along the coast, while the back nine is played inland and requires a more conservative approach due to the tight avenues of pine trees.
Lieser making history
Ondrej Lieser made history by becoming the first Czech golfer to win a Challenge Tour event at the Challenge de España in 2020. Lieser posted a final day round of 67 to finish on ten under par, two shots ahead of England’s Richard Mansell and four shots clear of 2021 Irish Challenge runner up Eduard Rousaud, who finished in fifth place. Lieser went on to claim victory at the Challenge Tour Grand Final in 2020 and has since become the first Czech to gain a full playing card on the European Tour.
Success of recent champions
Victory at the Challenge de España has often led to players making the step on to the European Tour in recent years. Four out of the past five winners have moved on to the European Tour, showing victory in Spain can be a good omen for graduation. The most recent champion, Leiser, became the first Czech to claim a European Tour card, 2019’s winner Antoine Rozner has since claimed two victories on the European Tour while 2017’s title holder, Victor Perez, triumphed at the 2019 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship to secure his maiden European Tour title. Adrien Saddier, who won the 2016 Challenge de España claimed his European Tour card in 2017.
