Nacho Elvira is enjoying all the benefits of being a defending champion at the 2022 Cazoo Open supported by Gareth Bale, having claimed his maiden DP World Tour title in Wales thanks to a hard-fought victory 12 months ago.
The Spaniard had entered the final day at The Celtic Manor Resort with a six-shot lead but saw that wiped out by the 12th and, while he edged back ahead thanks to two back-nine birdies, a three-putt bogey on the last sent him into a play-off with Justin Harding.
The South African then made a bogey of his own on the first trip back up the 18th and Elvira had a DP World Tour trophy to add to his four European Challenge Tour wins.
“It feels great to be defending champion, it's something that I've never experienced before," he said. "It's kind of cool to see my face on some of the boards and it's great to be back, great to be here at this fantastic venue of Celtic Manor and trying to defend the title.
"I've been feeling great. I feel like I've been playing well, I just haven't been putting that great but I think the game is there. I'm calm, I'm relaxed and I'm trying to enjoy this week as much as possible.
"It might be playing a little bit longer than last year, we have a couple of tees that are pushed back. I think it's going to be a little bit tougher than last year."
Elvira's six-shot 54-hole advantage was the second largest of the 2021 season and his being caught had as much to do with the chasing pack as himself as he turned in level par.
"Thinking about last year, I might need one more, a seven-shot lead instead of six," he said.
"It was a great position but I felt it was a little difficult for me to manage it. I'd never been in that position before with that advantage, at the end it was good enough and hopefully this week we can do something similar.
"I remember that I should have hit that first putt a little bit softer. There are so many good memories compared to the last putt and I think it's such a great finishing hole.
"So many different things can happen: you can go for it in two, you can lay up and you can still make a nine laying up because of that water short. Hopefully I can get like last year and go into 18 with a couple more shots."
