DID YOU KNOW – OPEN DE ESPAÑA
• Defending champion, Miguel Angel Jiménez is aiming to become the first player to successfully defend the Open de España since the event first became part of The European Tour International Schedule in 1972. The last player to win back-to-back titles was Max Faulkner in 1952-53.
• Jiménez made European Tour history last year by becoming the oldest winner in European Tour history, aged 50 years and 133 days when he defeated Thomas Pieters and Richard Green in a play-off
• He made further history, when winning the Open de España at the 27th attempt. This is a new record for a player playing in the same event before claiming victory for the first time.
• The Open de España was the very first official European Tour event in 1972. Spain’s national open is only of only seven events that have been staged every season since The European Tour’s first year in 1972. The events are: the Open de España, The Open Championship, Alstom Open de France, KLM Open, BMW PGA Championship, Omega European Masters and Italian Open.
• Low scoring was the order of the week in 2003 Open de España at the Golf Costa Adeje Tenerife with the lowest 36 hole cut in European Tour history at 138 (-6). This record was since matched at the 2005 TCL Classic.
• Another piece of history was created in 2003. Spanish amateur, Pablo Martin Benavides then 17 years and six days became the youngest player to lead or share the lead in a European Tour event after a round. He was one of six players to jointly hold the lead after 54 holes. He eventually finished in a tie for 22nd. This is a record he still holds.
• The 2015 edition will be the 89th time the tournament has been staged in all, dating back originally to 1912.
• When Raphaël Jacquelin won the 2013 event at the ninth hole of sudden-death, defeating Felipe Aguilar and Max Kieffer, this equalled The European Tour record for the longest play-off. This matched the 1989 KLM Open, in which José Maria Olazábal beat Roger Chapman and Ronan Rafferty.
• Since The European Tour’s first season, only five Spanish players have won – Antonio Garrido (1972 – very first European Tour event), Seve Ballesteros (1981, 1985 and 1995), Sergio Garcia (2002), Alavro Quiros (2010) and Miguel Angel Jiménez (2014).
• The 2002 champion, Sergio Garcia will attempt to continue his streak in the Open de España of making the 36 hole cut every time he has played; seven times as a professional and three as an amateur.
