This week’s Open de Espana and next week’s Italian Open would seem to be two similar events – a pair of national Opens on the European mainland.
However, the Italian is a Rolex Series event worth $7m, rather dwarfing the tournament in Madrid which has a modest purse.
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Of course, that affects field quality although it’s good to see that the local big guns – Jon Rahm, Sergio Garcia and Rafa Cabrera Bello – are all lining up in the Spanish capital.
Club de Campo Villa de Madrid will ring a distant bell for close observers of the European Tour as it’s been used before although the last time was over ten years ago.
After this week, there are seven more events on the 2019 schedule which reaches its climax with the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai from November 21-24.
Open champion Shane Lowry still leads the Race to Dubai although Rahm is a close-up second and, with the Royal Portrush hero absent, this is a great chance for the Spaniard to jump into top spot.
The Course
Club de Campo Villa de Madrid last hosted this event in 1996 when Padraig Harrington came through to win his first European Tour event with 16-under. It was used more recently for the Madrid Masters when another future major winner, Charl Schwartzel, prevailed with the exact same score. Madrid local Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano told Rotoworld on Monday: “The course is in great condition. They added some length to it. I would say 30 yards on the 1st and 2nd, 13 and 17 are longer as well. Does it play harder? I don’t think so, given the changes in technology since 2008. The course is in great shape - a little soft as, in the summer, they have to put a lot of water on the fairways and greens. I think the scoring is going to be low, maybe similar to the last time here (-16). It’s a tree-lined course but there is not too much rough.” This event has had some tough scoring in recent years but those comments suggest the numbers will be closer to 2018 when Rahm won with -20.
Recent Open de Espana winners
2018 (-20, 268) Jon Rahm – 3rd European Tour win
2017 No tournament
2016 (+1, 285) Andrew Johnston – 1st European Tour win
2015 (-10, 278) James Morrison – 2nd European Tour win
2014 (-4, 284) Miguel Angel Jimenez – 21st European Tour win
Notes: That’s two Spanish winners in the last five years. It’s also worth looking at the Club de Campo leaderboard from 2008. Although South African Schwartzel lifted the trophy, the top ten was packed with Spaniards – 3rd Pablo Larrazabal, T4th Alvaro Quiros, 7th Carlos Del Moral, T10th Jesus Maria Arruti, Rafa Cabrera-Bello, Ignacio Garrido.
The Weather
It’s a week of sunny weather (and the odd bit of white cloud) in Madrid with temperatures peaking around 80 degrees each day. Winds are minimal which fuels the idea that scoring will be low.
The Leading Contenders
Rahm has been sensational on his returns to Europe and handled all the hype to win this event at Centro Nacional de Golf last April. His one start in Spain since then resulted in second place at Valderrama in June. Also second at Wentworth a fortnight ago, it was a major surprise to see him miss the cut in Scotland last week although too much shouldn’t be read into that. Bottom line: Rahm is in great form, shines in Spain and is 2nd in Birdies this season..
Despite his relatively poor year on the PGA TOUR, Garcia has still performed well back in Europe and followed T7 at Valderrama and T23 at Crans with an impressive victory in the KLM Open in mid-September (1st on All-Around). No less than seven of his 16 European Tour wins have come in Spain so he’s a massive factor in front of his home fans and, even though it’s old, he has some course form too – 49th (1996), 25th (2000) and 6th (2003).
Like Rahm, he followed a big display at Wentworth (T6) with a surprising MC in Scotland (perhaps both had this week in mind). RCB actually shot 8-under at the Alfred Dunhill Links so nothing is wrong. One bonus this week is that he has some course form via T10 at Club de Campo in the 2008 Madrid Masters. His tournament form is a little mixed with two early exits in the last three attempts but he was T16 in 2016, T6 in 2009 and T11 in 2011. Ranks 8th in Birdie Average this season.
With a T23 at the Alfred Dunhill Links and T20 at the WGC-St. Jude in his last three starts, the Chinese star is hinting at a big week soon. Strong off the tee, his iron play has gone up a notch in recent starts so he just needs to get the putter going. This is Li’s first start in Spain. His rankings of 4th in Birdie Average and 1st in Eagles suggest it could be a profitable one.
One of Europe’s form horses. Since victory in June’s BMW International Open in Germany, the Italian has reeled off six more top 25s and T10 in Scotland on Sunday continued the strong form. Pavan was T21 in last year’s Open de Espana and this course should suit.
Adding to the strong home challenge is Arnaus – the 24-year-old from Barcelona who is already making waves. The Texas A&M University product already has two second places this season and the first of those was on Spanish soil at Valderrama. That started a run of 2-15-MC-2-MC-6-MC-MC so there’s some inconsistency there but lots of upside. It’s his first competitive start at the course.
Fisher took T6 in his last start in this event when shooting 5-over in ultra-tough conditions at Valderrama. A little hard to assess at the moment. He was going well for 54 holes (T15) at tree-lined Wentworth two weeks ago but slipped to a 76 on Sunday and then missed the cut at the Alfred Dunhill.
Thrashed a stunning 62 on the way to third place at Club de Campo in 2008 and continues to be a fine performer in Spain with four finishes of T29 or better in his last five home appearances. Took T7 at the Porsche European Open in Germany earlier this month but has surrounded it with three missed cuts.
Only two or three months ago, Campillo would have been fourth favourite for this such was his form. But all those top threes have been replaced by MCs (five in his last six starts). There’s also some boom or bust in his Open de Espana form since 2012: MC-5-MC-66-7-MC-5.
China Open winner (May) is 7-for-7 since the end of June although just can’t quite put four rounds together. It means his best finish in that spell is T35 at Crans where he fired 75-65 on the weekend. A straight hitter, it’s no surprise to see has a third at Valderrama (2018) so likes the tree-lined visuals.
