After an absence of two years, the European Tour Qualifying School Finals will return to San Roque in southern Spain from November 11-16, 2004.
The Costa del Sol venue provided the main course for the Finals for seven successive years from 1995 to 2001, during which time the winners included Ryder Cup golfer Niclas Fasth, before the tournament was moved to Emporda Golf Club and Golf Platja de Pals in northern Spain in 2002 and 2003.
The return to San Roque will coincide with the venue’’s New Course being used for the first time in conjunction with the established Old Course, which was designed by Dave Thomas and opened in 1990.
The New Course has been designed by Perry Dye and Seve Ballesteros and opened for play in November 2003. It will be the first time since the event was staged at La Manga in 1989 that a venue, complete with 36 holes, has been utilised.
The new agreement, which is for three years, will see both courses used over the first four days of play, with the Old Course alone staging the final two rounds after the four round cut.
Mike Stewart, The European Tour’’s Qualifying School Director, said: “We are all looking forward very much to returning to San Roque where the Qualifying School Finals enjoyed seven successful years.
“The Old Course is an excellent test of golf and we know that the New Course will provide an equally challenging examination. Having the two courses in operation so close together will also, of course, help us enormously in the organisation of the overall event.”
Mr Shun Tezuka, President of San Roque, said: “We are very proud and delighted that the European Tour Qualifying School Finals will be returning to San Roque.
“We very much enjoyed playing host to the tournament in the past and I am sure the players who come here in November will enjoy the hospitality we have to offer and will relish the opportunity to pit their talents against our two superb golf courses.”
European Tour Qualifying School, Dates and Venues for 2004
Stage 1:
Date: September 14-17, 2004
Venues:
Chart Hills GC, Kent
De Vere Carden Park (Cheshire Course), Cheshire
St Annes Old Links, Lytham St Annes, Lancs (new)
Golf de Moliets, Biarritz, France
Golf-Und Land-Club Koln, Cologne, Germany
Stage 2:
Date: November 3–6, 2004
Venues:
Emporda GC, Girona, Spain
Club de Golf Oliva Nova, Oliva, Valencia, Spain (new)
El Bosque Golf and Country Club, Chiva, Valencia, Spain (new)
Finals:
Date: November 11–16, 2004
Venue:
The San Roque Club (Old and New Course), San Roque, Cadiz, Spain
