SUNDAY MAY 13, 2012 – MADEIRA ISLANDS OPEN - PORTUGAL
His first European Tour International Schedule victory in his 23rdEuropean Tour event.
Moves to €186,637 in The Race to Dubai.
Could move to just outside the top 190 in the Official World Golf Ranking from 305th.
This victory beats his previous best European Tour finishes of tied tenth in the 2011 Madeira Islands Open – Portugal and 2012 Avantha Masters.
In his rookie season on The European Tour. Is the first rookie to win on The 2012 European Tour. The last rookie to win on The European Tour was Tom Lewis at the 2011 Portugal Masters.
Graduated from the 2011 European Challenge Tour Rankings. Is the second 2011 graduate to win the year after graduation, following Julien Quesne (2012 Open de Andalucia Costa del Sol).
Becomes the seventh first-time winner of the 2012 European Tour International Schedule. They are: Branden Grace (Joburg Open), Jbe’ Kruger (Avantha Masters), Julien Quesne (Open de Andalucía Costa del Sol), Thorbjørn Olesen (Sicilian Open), Bubba Watson (Masters Tournament), Bernd Wiesberger (Ballantine’s Championship) and Ricardo Santos (Madeira Islands Open – Portugal).
Becomes the first Portuguese player to win the Madeira Islands Open – Portugal and first Portuguese to win a European Tour event on home soil.
Becomes only the second Portuguese player to win on The European Tour, following Daniel Silva (1992 Jersey European Airways Open). (José-Filipe Lima, although now Portuguese, was playing under the French flag when he won the 2004 As St Omer Open).
His final round of 63 (-9) is the lowest final round by a winner in 2012. This beats the 64 (-8) by Julien Quesne (Open de Andaluica Costa del Sol).
His final round of 63 (-9)) is the lowest final round by a winner in the history of the Madeira Islands Open – Portugal. This beats the 66 (-6) by Des Smyth in 2001.
His 72 hole total of 266 (-22) is the lowest winning total in the history of the Madeira Islands Open – Portugal.
OTHER FACTS
Is the ninth player to make the Madeira Islands Open – Portugal their maiden European Tour victory. He would follow: Santiago Luna (1995), Pedro Linhart (1999), Niclas Fasth (2000), Bradley Dredge (2003), Christopher Hanell (2004), Daniel Vancsik (2007), Estanislao Goya (2009) and James Morrison (2010).
Victory came in his seventh appearance in the Madeira Islands Open – Portugal.
This victory beats his previous best performance in the event of tied tenth in 2011.
His four shot final round winning comeback equals the largest on The European Tour in 2012. This matches the four of Francesco Molinari in the Reale Seguros Open de España.
Is the 404thdifferent player to win on The European Tour.
Gains a European Tour exemption until the end of the 2013 season.
Gains his largest European Tour prize of €112,500.
Gains a place in the 2013 Volvo Golf Champions.
Gains his fourth win as a professional.
Becomes the 42ndrookie to win in European Tour history.
Becomes the 25thdifferent Challenge Tour graduate to win on The European Tour the year after graduation.
Becomes the 13th European Tour victory by a former Challenge Tour player on the 2012 European Tour from 18 events so far. He would: Louis Oosthuizen (Africa Open and Maybank Malaysian Open), Branden Grace (Joburg Open, Volvo Golf Champions and Volvo China Open), Robert Rock (Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship), Rafael Cabrera-Bello (Omega Dubai Desert Classic), Justin Rose (WGC – Cadillac Championship), Julien Quesne (Open de Andalucía Costa del Sol), Michael Hoey (Trophée Hassan II), Thørbjorn Olesen (Sicilian Open), Bernd Wiesberger (Ballantine’s Championship) and Ricardo Santos (Madeira Islands Open – Portugal).
Becomes the 297thEuropean Tour victory by a former Challenge Tour player.
Becomes the 126thdifferent former Challenge Tour player to win on The European Tour.
