DID YOU KNOW – OPEN DE ESPAÑA
• Alvaro Quiros is aiming to become the first player to successfully defend the Open de España since the event first became part of The European Tour International Schedule in 1972. Indeed the last player to win back-to-back titles was Max Faulkner in 1952-53.
• Low scoring was the order of the week in 2003 Open de España at the Golf Costa Adeje Tenerife with the lowest 36 hole cut in European Tour history being established at 138 (-6). This record was since matched at the 2005 TCL Classic.
• Another piece of history was created in 2003. Spanish amateur, Pablo Martin, then 17 years and six days became the youngest player to lead or share the lead in a European Tour event after a completed round. He was one of six players to jointly hold the lead after 54 holes. He eventually finished in a tie for 22nd. This is a record he still holds.
• The new El Prat courses were designed by Greg Norman and officially opened in June 2004. This marked the first design by the Australian in continental Europe.
• The original El Prat course was opened in 1954 and hosted its first Spanish Open in 1956. A further seven national opens’ have been staged at the Barcelona venue.
• There are 31 Spanish players competing in the Open de España. Since The European Tour’s first season, only four Spanish players have won – Antonio Garrido (1972 – very first European Tour event), Seve Ballesteros (1981, 1985 and 1995), Sergio Garcia (2002) and Alvaro Quiros (2010).
