Enjoyed a fine start to 2012, posting top tens in the Avantha Masters, Trophée Hassan II and Sicilian Open, but tailed off in the second half and clung on to 112th spot in The Race to Dubai. Experienced similar extremes in 2010, missing 21 cuts – including his first eight tournaments of the season and at nine consecutive events later in the year – but retained his card thanks to victory in the Austrian Open, where he won a play-off with David Lynn. A good friend of compatriot Sergio Garcia, Lara made his professional team debut in partnering Miguel Angel Jiménez in the 2007 World Cup as a late replacement for the injured José María Olazábal, a year after making his long-awaited breakthrough to The European Tour’s winners’ enclosure at the UBS Hong Kong Open. Jiménez was on the green and the first to congratulate him on his maiden win. Enjoyed a highly successful amateur career after beginning his golfing life as a ten year old caddying for his father, Manuel, in Valencia. Represented Spain at Boys and Youth levels before playing for the senior side for six years.