Ahead of the Open de España, europeantour.com stats man Steve Doughty picks out his five to watch out for this week at PGA Catalunya Resort.
Thomas Björn
- Was the winner of the first European Tour event to be played over the Stadium Course at PGA Catalunya Resort in the 1999 Sarazen World Open.
- Tied for third the last time the Open de España was staged at this venue in 2009.
- The first time Spain’s national open was held at this venue in 2000 he tied for 43rd
place
- He is 32 under par for his 12 competitive rounds over the Stadium Course
.
- Has four top ten finishes this season from nine events, and currently leads The Race to Dubai as a result.
- Won the Open de España in 1998.
Grégory Bourdy
- Looking to continue the trend of French winners at the Open de España at PGA Catalunya Resort, following Thomas Levet in 2009.
- Has enjoyed a consistent 2014 making all eight of his cuts.
- His best finish of the season, a tie for sixth place, came in his last start at The Championship at Laguna National.
- Has finished in the top 20 in his last four starts.
- Was tied eighth at this venue in 2009.
- The Stadium Course demands a lot of accuracy and he currently lies fourth this season in the driving accuracy department, hitting 78.3% of fairways.
Rafael Cabrera-Bello
- Has enjoyed a very consistent 2014 season so far, making seven of his eight cuts.
- From those events he has amassed three top five finishes, the last of which was a tie for fifth at the Trophée Hassan II.
- Was the leading Spanish player in the 2009 Open de España held at the Stadium Course, tying for sixth place.
Sergio Garcia
- Arrives in his homeland in fine form after finishing third in the Players Championship last Sunday on the PGA Tour.
- Bidding to win his second national title, following his triumph in the 2002 Open de España.
- Played the Open de España on nine previous occasions (six as a professional and three as an amateur) and has made the cut each time.
- Would be the first multiple winner this season, after his play-off victory over Mikko Ilonen at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.
- Five of his 11 European Tour wins have been on Spanish soil.
Miguel Angel Jiménez
- Bidding to become the first 50 year old to win a European Tour event.
- Has had an amazing season so far after a successful defence of his Hong Kong Open title last November.
- He also became the first 50 year old to finish in the top five of the Masters Tournament since Sam Snead in 1963.
- Won on his US Champions Tour debut the week after Augusta.
- Competing in his 27th Open de España, having first teed it up in the event in 1983.
- His best finish came when he finished runner-up in 1999.
Will these chosen five make your team for this week’s instalment of the Fantasy Race to Dubai game? If you haven’t yet signed up for the competition, which offers weekly, monthly and season-long prizes, head over to create your team now…
