The European Tour is delighted to announce that the 2000 Peugeot Open de España will be played at PGA Golf de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain on April 28 - May 1 (Mon).
Following the success of the Sarazen World Open in October last year, the course will host Spain’’s national open for the first time. Sweden’’s Jarmo Sandelin will be the defending champion.
PGA Golf de Catalunya, located close to Spain’’s Costa Brava, is the newest course in the portfolio of European Tour Courses. The course, designed by Neil Coles and Angel Gallardo in association with European Golf Design, was opened last June and is set in undulating land, dense with a variety of hanging pine and cork trees which line the fairways. The mountains of the Pyrenees provide a spectacular backdrop to the 7,200 yards, par 72 course.
Angel Gallardo, President of European Tour South and winner of the Peugeot Open de Espana in 1970, said: “The Peugeot Open de España is one of the longest-running events on the European Tour International Schedule and PGA Golf de Catalunya will provide a wonderful venue when it hosts the tournament for the first time in April. It is a great honour to welcome Spain’’s national open for what is sure to be an exciting week of world-class golf.”
PGA Golf de Catalunya opened in June and first hosted European Tour competition some four months later with the Sarazen World Open. Denmark’’s Thomas Bjorn claimed the title after finishing two strokes ahead of Switerland’’s Paulo Quirici and Japan’’s Katsuyoshi Tomori. The new venue met with the unanimous approval of the players.
The Peugeot Open de España was first played in 1912 and is one of the oldest events on the schedule. Arnaud Massey, the first overseas winner of the Open Championship, won on that occasion and since then Max Faulkner, Peter Thomson, Roberto de Vicenzo, Arnold Palmer, Seve Ballesteros and Nick Faldo have won both the Spanish and Open Championship titles.
Last year Sandelin gained his third European Tour success with victory in the Peugeot Open de España at Real Club de Golf ‘El Prat’’, finishing four strokes ahead of Ireland’’s Paul McGinley and the Spanish pair of Ignacio Garrido and Miguel Angel Jiménez.
