Spain’s Jorge Campillo is aiming to go low at La Reserva de Sotogrande Club de Golf this week as he seeks a maiden European Tour title at the inaugural NH Collection Open.
The 27 year old recorded the second runner-up finish of his career at the Nelson Mandela Championship presented by ISPS HANDA earlier in the season, and has made an impressive nine cuts in 11 events.
At 41st in The Race to Dubai, Campillo is on course to enjoy his best season on The European Tour, but is still targeting further improvements before teeing up in Cadiz this week.
“I had a strong start this season,” he said. “I’m driving well but missing my irons to the left.
“I need to sort things out with José Carlos, my coach, before Thursday. In golf you never know, hopefully I will start hitting them straight and post a great score.
“The course is good, I think they made a great job with the layout, it will certainly suit me if I play well.”
Campillo is not the only Spaniard hoping to perform on home soil this week, with rookie Nacho Elvira looking to capitalise on a good start to his maiden campaign.
The Challenge Tour graduate has made five cuts in ten appearances, but hopes to finish higher than his season’s best of 29th this week.
“I’m quite happy with my European Tour debut,” said the 27 year old. “I played ten tournaments and made five cuts, so 50 per cent, not a bad start.
“The main difference between The European and Challenge Tour is that the courses are set up different.
“I look forward to this week; I’m playing nicely and feel confident. Hopefully I can keep it up, but you can never tell with this game.
“I don’t know the course as I have never played in this area. Today I played the back nine and I will play the full course tomorrow in the pro-am.”
One Spaniard hoping to emulate Elvira’s rise from The Challenge Tour is Pedro Oriol, who made a fine start to the season by finishing second in the Barclays Kenya Open.
“I’m very pleased with my start to the season,” he said. “I’m a bit disappointed that I didn’t win in Kenya but I can’t complain.
“I have been playing great recently, and the course suits my game. The course is in top condition, yesterday the greens were real fast but today they have slowed them down a bit, probably in case the wind steps up.”
