With this win Richard Sterne secured his first European Tour International Schedule victory in his 62nd European Tour event. This win beats his best previous European Tour International Schedule performance of tied sixth at the 2003 Algarve Open de Portugal and 2003 dunhill links championship and is his second win as a professional.
Gains his largest European Tour prize of €166,660 (£115,225)
Gains a Tour year European Tour Exemption until the end of 2006
The 15th first-time winner on the 2004 European Tour International Schedule
The 64th South African win on The European Tour
The 23rd different South African to win on The European Tour
The eighth South African victory on the 2004 European Tour International Schedule following, Ernie Els (Heineken Classic, World Golf Championships – American Express Championship and HSBC World Match Play Championship), Trevor Immelman (South African Airways Open and Deutsche Bank – SAP Open TPC of Europe) and Retief Goosen (US Open Championship and Smurfit European Open
First top ten finish in 2004 and fourth of his European Tour career
Moves from 122nd in the Volvo Order of Merit and now amassed €298,135
Won €35,185 more for winning the Open de Madrid than for first 26 events put together in 2004
The 128th former European Challenge Tour player to win on The European Tour
The 68th different former European Challenge Tour player to win on The European Tour
The 20th win on the 2004 European Tour by a former Challenge Tour Member
Follows Jimmy Kinsella (1972), German Garrido (1973), Bob Shearer (1975), Derrick Cooper (1988) and Andrew Sherborne (1991) to make the Open de Madrid their first European Tour victory
Third South African to win the Open de Madrid following Simon Hobday (1979) and Retief Goosen (2001)
