DID YOU KNOW – REALS SEGUROS OPEN DE ESPAÑA
• Thomas Aiken is aiming to become the first player to successfully defend the Reale Seguros 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.
• The Reale Seguros Open de España celebrates its 100th birthday this year, having been first played in 1912. Spain’s national open is one of only seven events that have been staged every season since The European Tour’s first year in 1972. The events are: the Reale Seguros Open de España, The Open Championship, Alstom Open de France, KLM Open, BMW PGA Championship, Omega European Masters and Italian Open.
• 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 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 2012 edition will be the 86th time the tournament has been staged in all.
• The Real Club de Golf de Sevilla hosted the tournament in 2008 when Peter Lawrie won and again in 2010, when Alvaro Quiros claimed the title. In 2004 the World Cup was played here and won by Paul Casey and Luke Donald. Current course record holder Søren Kjeldsen also tasted victory over the layout, at the 2009 Open de Andalucia.
• The aforementioned Kjeldsen has won his last two European Tour victories in the Andalucia region of Spain; the 2008 Volvo Masters at Valderrama and the 2009 Open de Andalucia.
• There are 30 Spanish players competing in the Reale Seguros 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).
