The European Tour makes its first stop of the season on the Continent this week for the Real Club Valderrama Open de España hosted by the Sergio Garcia Foundation.
After we selected Masters champion Danny Willett as one of our Fantasy Race to Dubai picks before last week’s Augusta showpiece, it’s time to see whether we can correctly call another winner among our three tips at yet another historic venue…
Pick of the favourites: Søren Kjeldsen
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After picking up his second best finish in a Major Championship last week at Augusta National, Søren Kjeldsen arrives back at another of his favourite venues in Valderrama full of confidence and form. The 40 year old gained four places in the Official World Golf Rankings thanks to a tied seventh finish in Georgia, moving up to 41st after closing out just five shots behind winner Willett. There’ll be plenty of good memories flooding back to Kjeldsen on his return to the testing San Roque layout, too. In his last four tournaments on the Ryder Cup course at Valderrama, he has a victory to his name – at the final Volvo Masters in 2008 – and two runner-up finishes, at the 2007 edition of the former season-ending event and in the 2010 Andalucía Masters. Good form and course knowledge could prove to be the winning combination for Kjeldsen this week.
Form Horse: Joost Luiten
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The Wildcard: Jorge Campillo
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With two top tens in his last three tournaments, Jorge Campillo would surely love that good form to culminate in a first European Tour win in his native Spain. The 29 year old took a share of fourth at the Maybank Championship Malaysia in February, carding a strong opening round of 65 in the process, while his tied tenth finish at the Hero Indian Open, secured at the famously tight Delhi Golf Club, was another impressive showing. It might be that playing in his national Open brings out the best in Campillo, who hails from nearby Caceres, given his record at this event. He recorded a seventh place finish last year at Real Club de Golf El Prat and three years earlier finished fifth. Playing one of Spain’s most prestigious courses might just be the inspiration he needs to seal that maiden win.
Those are our picks, now it’s time to make yours. Select your six players in our new Fantasy Race to Dubai game and be in with a chance of winning some impressive prizes.
