The European Tour heads to Madrid this week for the ACCIONA Open de España presented by Madrid. Here are your five things to know.
Open de España returns
One of the oldest tournaments on the European Tour schedule, the Open de España makes its return this season after being cancelled last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Boasting an illustrious history, the tournament has been played every year – with the exception of 2017 and 2020 – since the European Tour official began in 1972 with past winners including the late, great Seve Ballesteros, Arnold Palmer, Sergio García, Bernhard Langer, Nick Faldo, and most recently Jon Rahm.
Spanish swing
The Open de España marks the first of three consecutive events in Spain, starting in Madrid before American John Catlin defends his title in Valderrama at the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters and rounding off the trio of events is the Mallorca Golf Open, where to European Tour returns to Golf Santa Ponsa for the first time this century.
Rahm defends
Rahm will target a third win in a row after he successfully defended his Open de España title in 2019 with a dominant five shot victory at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid.
Closing with a 66, Rahm entered the record books by becoming the fastest Spaniard to five European wins, achieving the feat in ten fewer events than Seve Ballesteros at the venue where the 1997 Ryder Cup captain won his 50th and final European Tour title 26 years ago.
Now, Rahm returns as World Number One and the reigning U.S. Open champion with a new target in mind – winning this event for a third time, which is something only Ballesteros has done in the tournament’s history.
“I would love to win it again, not only to tie Seve but to win it for a third time in a row,” the 26-year-old said.
“It doesn’t matter what event it is not many people have been able to win the same one three times in a row so I’m hoping I can get it done. It would truly be an honour, but it’s coming back home that’s important.”
Back to Madrid
The 2018 Open de España marked a return to the Spanish capital for the first time since 2007. Played at the municipal Centro Nacional de Golf, the event was a great success with an extremely popular winner in Rahm. In 2019, the tournament moved to Club de Campo Villa de Madrid - a country club formed in 1929, and it returns once more in 2021 to the same venue. ,
In addition to the Black Course on which the tournament will be played, the venue also has the Seve Ballesteros designed Yellow Course alongside hockey pitches, tennis courts and swimming pools. The venue previously hosted the Open de España for five consecutive years from 1990,and was also the stage for the Open de Madrid on five occasions.
Hunting Spanish glory
Rahm lifted the trophy when the Open de España returned here in 2019, but the leaderboard was filled with Spaniards in an event which has enjoyed several home heroes of their national open.
Last time out in Madrid, three-time European Tour winner Rafa Cabrera Bello finished second, Samuel Del Val third, Adri Arnaus in a tie for fourth, and Sergio Garcia in seventh. This year, Cabrera Bello, Arnaus and Del Val return, while in-form Santiago Tarrio makes his second appearance.
Joined by fellow Spaniards Jorge Campillo and Nacho Elvira, among others, they’ll be looking to join the impressive roster of Spanish winners which includes Rahm, Garcia, Ballesteros, Álvaro Quirós and Miguel Ángel Jiménez.
