Sergio Garcia will attempt to continue his impressive record in the Mallorca Classic when he headlines the field for the 2007 staging of the tournament this week at Pula Golf Club.
The World Number Nine has played in the tournament for the past three years and has never finished outside the top two.
However, the one disappointment for the 27 year old is the fact that in those three years there has been only one victory, that coming on his debut in 2004, when four superb rounds in the 60s gave him a four shot triumph over England’s Simon Khan.
Since then it has been near but oh so far for the runner-up in this year’s Open Championship at Carnoustie, finishing tied second behind compatriot José Maria Olazábal in 2005 and three shots adrift of Sweden’s Niclas Fasth last season.
Fasth is back looking for his seventh European Tour International Schedule title and his second win of the 2007 season having held off the late charge of home favourite Bernhard Langer at Golfclub München Eichenried to claim a thrilling BMW International Open title in June.
Garcia is also in search of his seventh European Tour title, the Spaniard’s last victory coming up the mountains at Crans-sur-Sierre in 2005 when he held off the challenge of Sweden’s Peter Gustafsson and his Ryder Cup colleagues Paul Casey and Luke Donald of England to win the Omega European Masters.
While the quest for a champion will prove fascinating as always, with the Mallorca Classic being the penultimate counting event on the 2007 European Tour Order of Merit, there are several other side issues sure to prove as intriguing for the spectators and the television audience alike.
Amongst the higher echelons there is the quest to finish in the top 15 which will guarantee a starting spot in the 2008 US Open Championship at Torrey Pines Golf Club in California in June, while those who finish in the top 20 will play in the 137th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in England in July.
Further down there is the continuing quest to claim a place in the top 60 who automatically qualify for the season-ending Volvo Masters at Club de Golf Valderrama in a week’s time, but perhaps the most intriguing element of the week centres around those players battling to keep their playing privileges for the 2008 season and for whom, the Mallorca Classic represents their last chance to produce the performance which matters.
Last season the man who did just that was England’s David Carter who approached the tournament in 120th place on the Order of Merit, but who produced a gutsy four day showing to finish in a tie for 27th which elevated him to safety, in 117th of the 118 players who earned their 2007 Tour cards by right.
This year, because of the respective successes of Category 15 Member David Frost and Affiliate Members Rory McIlroy and Alan McLean – who currently occupy 93rd and 94th and 116th place respectively on the Order of Merit.
At the moment, the top 118 players will this year keep their cards by right for 2008, if McLean stays where he is. However, if he drops any further, below 118, it will revert back to 117; circumstances contributing added tension for those players around that mark who will be facing a nervous four days at Pula Golf Club.
