This week the European Challenge Tour heads to Valle Romano Golf in Spain for the third edition of the Andalucía Costa del Sol Match Play 9.
After a hugely successful opening two years where Aaron Rai and Liam Johnston won in 2017 and 2018, respectively, the innovative format returns once again.
The exciting week is comprised of 36 holes of stroke play with the top 64 players making it through to the weekend – where they will compete in a series of nine-hole match play battles for a share of the €200,000 prize fund.
The action will unfold at the picturesque Valle Romano Golf in southern Spain where players will compete during stroke play on Thursday and Friday before the field is cut for the knockout stage.
On Saturday the opening knockout rounds will be played on both the front nine and back nine. While Sunday will see the quarter finals, semi-finals and final all contested on the front nine.
Format Notes
-The top 64 players from Thursday and Friday’s stroke play will advance to the single-elimination match play weekend
- Any ties for 64th place will be decided through a play-off at the end of the second round
- Ahead of the matches on Saturday, players will be seeded based on their finishing position after 36 holes
- Ties in the seeding process will be decided on the following:
(i) Lowest 2nd round
(ii) Lowest 9, 6, 3, 1 hole of the course in the 2nd round,
(iii) Card Match Play starting at the 1st hole of the course using the 2nd round score
-Ties at the end of nine: If a match is all-square after nine holes, the competitors will continue on into a sudden-death play-off, where the first player to win a hole advances to the next round.
Any player losing in the match play phase of the tournament will be ranked according to their strokeplay score. For example: if the number one seed loses their round of 64 match, they will finish 33rd on the final leaderboard and receive prize money accordingly.
