Tag: Challenge Tour

Categories
European Challenge Tour European Tour Ladies European Tour PGA Tour

Recalling last week: Final Round Reports

QUARTEIRA, PORTUGAL - NOVEMBER 06: Oliver Wilson of England plays his second shot into the 11th green during the third round of the Portugal Masters at Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course on November 06, 2021 in Quarteira, Portugal. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)

PGA Tour: World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba

Hovland came to defend his title this weekend and succeeded. He scored four rounds of 67-65-62-67. With a new tournament record of 23 strokes under par, the shooting star wins his third title on the PGA Tour at the age of 24. He was not stopped by adverse circumstances, such as a broken driver , and relegated Carlos Ortiz to his home game and the Ryder Cup players Justin Thomas and Scottie Scheffler to places 2, 3 and 4.

English golfers didn’t even make it in the top 5 in this tournament. The first lad in line on the board is Aaron Rai at T15. Danny Willet came disappointingly behind at T27 playing four rounds of 68-68-68-69.

PGA Tour World Wide Tech Championship
Course Riviera Maya, Mexiko at the El Camaleon Golf Club.
Prize Money 7,200,000 US-Dollar
Defending Champion Viktor Hovland
English players Ian Poulter, Danny Willet, Tyrell Hatton, Justin Rose, Matt Fitzpatrick, Luke Donald, Aaron Rai
View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Justin ROSE (@justinprose99)

LET Tour: Aramco Saudi Ladies International

Georgia Hall came in this week to represent the English women golfers. Hall came in at T9 scoring four rounds of 75-69-66-68.  Alice Hewson came right under the winner at T3. The winner, Lydia Ko scored 23 strokes under par. The event’s runner-up was 18-year-old Thai Atthaya Thitikul, this year’s LET Race to Costa del Sol champion. Her final day 66 placed her five shots ahead of Spain’s Carlota Ciganda and  Hewson, who held the 36-hole lead.

LET Tour Aramco Saudi Ladies Tournament
Course Royal Greens Golf Club – Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Prize Money 1 Million Dollars
Champion Lydia Ko
English players  Georgia Hall, Felicity Johnson, Laurie Davies, Liz Young, Bronte Law

European Tour: Portugal Masters 2021

Matt Wallace headed into the game with confidence only to be cut after the second round. Better performances included Matthew Jordan who finished at T5 with four rounds of 70-68-67-66. Oliver Wilson also had a great performance scoring one an eagle on the third round and ending at T12. The final round winner was Thomas Pieters of Belgium hitting 19 strokes under par.

EU Tour Portugal Masters 2021
Course Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course – Vilamoura, Portugal
Prize Money 1.5 Million Euro
Champion Thomas Pieters
English players David Horsey, Matthew Southgate, Jordan Smith, Matt Wallace, Ross, Mcgowan
View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Justin ROSE (@justinprose99)

Challenge Tour: Challenge Tour Grand Final 2021

The Challenge Tour Grand Final was played in Mallorca, Spain at the T-Golf & Country Club. The Challenge Tour Grand Final is part of the Challenge Tour in the season 2021. Only two Englishmen were on the field this week. Their performance overall was pretty good. Andrew Wilson ended at T12 finishing with four rounds 75-67-71-68. Alfie Plant also scored quite well with 70-72-72-72 and finishing at T26.

Challenge Tour Challenge Tour Grand Final
Course T-Golf & Country Club Poniente – Mallorca, Spain
Prize Money 450,000 Euro
Champion Markus Helligkilde
English players Jonathon Thomson, Alfie Plant
Categories
European Challenge Tour Live Satellite Tours

What the European Challenge Tour rankings and the Grand Final mean – Road to Mallorca

Craig Howie of Scotland plays his tee shot on the 1st hole during Day One of the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final (Getty Images)

First things first, for those who are not very familiar with the different Tours, the European Challenge Tour is the male subcategory of the Main European Tour. Since its inception in 1989, the Challenge Tour has developed into a proven training ground, where the champions-in-waiting compete across the globe for a place on the European Tour. Many players who have progressed from the Challenge Tour have gone on to become Major Champions. Including Brooks Koepka, Henrik Stenson, Justin Rose, Martin Kaymer and Louis Oosthuizen. In addition to Ryder Cup stars Ian Poulter, Tommy Fleetwood and Alex Noren.

Walking the path towards the Main Tour.

Professional golfers usually start their career playing in smaller Tours such as the Alps Tour, or the Q-School. It stands for European Tour Qualifying School. The Q-School is the thoughest test in golf. Held between September and November each year. Only the top 25 players at the end of the six-round Final Stage will earn the direct pass to the European Tour for the following season.

Behind the Scenes. The Challenge Tour from first hand.

The competitiveness is so high that most golfers tend to go step by step, qualifying from one Tour to the next. Currently ranked #1 of the Challenge Tour, the Spanish golfer Santiago Tarrio explains:

“The Alps Tour is so sacrificed due to the traveling expenses, and the low money prizes. Best case scenario, your bank account finishes Par-even at the end of the season. But that is only possible if you constantly win the events. If otherwise, you are continuiously losing money to play.”

This humble golfer talks about his personal experience. Santiago worked as a waiter for five years to save up some money before he could get back to the golf fields. He claims that the sponsors don’t know you yet, and it is hard to find one that invest in you, which hinders financial support. Tarrio and his team missed some cuts at first. They depended on a loan to keep playing before they finally earned the full card to the Challenge Tour. It was then, when the economic struggle decreased.

Delving into The Grand Final.

This week, the European Challenge Tour celebrates its last tournament of the season, the Grand Final. It takes places from November the 4th-7th, 2021 at the T-Golf & Country Club, in Mallorca, Spain. The Top 45 players of the Challenge Tour season will make it to the Grand Final. However, only the best 20 of the Ranking will earn a pass to the European Tour for next year.

To throw some light over the reality of what these golfers go through. The Grand Final offers the highest monetary prize of all year, 450,000€ to spread between the 45 participants. The last position will collect 2,000€, compared to an average of 8,000€ that any player pockets on a regular European Tour event for making the cut.

From Czech Republic, Ondrej Lieser is the winner from last year. He is currently 310th of the OWGR. This year, all eyes were on the Spanish pro golfer Santiago Tarrio as he finished second in 2020. However, the results gave a 180º degrees turn. He shot 1-over (72 shots) in the opening round to situate himself at the end of the leaderboard.

Santiago Tarrio of Spain plays his tee shot on the 1st hole during Day One of the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final. (Getty Images)

The second round has already started and apparently he was only starting engines yesterday. Tarrio climbed up 30 postions after the second day. He shot a total of 4-under par (67 shots) for a Top 10. There is a small chance that he will not close the year as number one. Tarrio and his caddy Noelia will surely give it all to bring the trophy home.

After a year of empty stadiums, fields, and pavillions, Borja Ochoa – General Manager of the T Golf & Country Club is excited to welcoming the public again. “Happily, we are returning to normality and this year will be able to welcome you all without restrictions.” People deserves to watch this show.

A greenside leaderboard is seen at the end of the Day Two of the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final. (Getty Images)
Categories
European Tour Ladies European Tour PGA Tour

Will Georgia Hall be able to take home a win this time?

georgia-hall-ladies-eu-tour
Georgia Hall of England (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

PGA Tour: World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba

The World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba in the season 2022 is being played in Riviera Maya, Mexico at the El Camaleon Golf Club. The tournament starts at the Thursday, 4th of November and ends on Sunday, 7th of November 2021. In 2022 all players competing for a total prize money of 7,200,000 $. The course for the tournament at El Camaleon Golf Club plays at Par 71.

With just two events left on the PGA tour, it is important for English golfers to rack up the FedEx cup points. Well-knowns such as Ian Poulter, Tyrell Hatton and Justin Rose will be teeing off this week. Danny Willet will also be competing and could add another win to his PGA belt. Last year Viktor Hovland of Norway ended up winning by one shot over Aaron Wise after notching a birdie on the 72nd hole. Will he beat out the English stars as well?

PGA Tour World Wide Tech Championship
Course Riviera Maya, Mexiko at the El Camaleon Golf Club.
Prize Money 7,200,000 US-Dollar
Defending Champion Viktor Hovland
English players Ian Poulter, Danny Willet, Tyrell Hatton, Justin Rose, Matt Fitzpatrick, Luke Donald, Aaron Rai
View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Justin ROSE (@justinprose99)

LET Tour: Aramco Saudi Ladies International

The end of the 2021 Ladies European Tour (LET) season is ramping up and the next destination for the Tour is Saudi Arabia. The Aramco Saudi Ladies International in the season 2021 is being played in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia at the Royal Greens Golf Club. The tournament starts on Thursday the 4th of November and ends on Sunday the 7th of November 2021. In 2021 all players competing for a total prize money of 1 Mio $. The course for the tournament at Royal Greens Golf Club plays at Par 72.

Teeing it up will be English duo Charley Hull and Georgia Hall, both two players to keep an eye on this weekend. Maybe Hall will come out on top this year. Liz young, Bronte Law and legend Laurie Davies will also be teeing off this week.

LPGA Tour Aramco Saudi Ladies Tournament
Course Royal Greens Golf Club – Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Prize Money 1 Million Dollars
Defending Champion Emelie Kristine Pedersen
English players Charley Hull, Georgia Hall, Felicity Johnson, Laurie Davies, Liz Young, Bronte Law

European Tour: Portugal Masters 2021

The Portugal Masters in the season 2021 is being played in Vilamoura, Portugal at the Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course. The tournament starts on Thursday the 4th of November and ends on Sunday the 7th of November 2021. In 2021 all players competing for a total prize money of 1,5 Mio €.

The course for the tournament at Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course plays at Par 71. Matt Wallace will tee up this weekend saying he is “feeling good.. I’ve played nicely the last couple of tournaments, so I’m coming here full of confidence.” Wallace has claimed three European Tour victories and he seems confident to secure another this week.

LPGA Tour Portugal Masters 2021
Course Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course – Vilamoura, Portugal
Prize Money 1.5 Million Euro
Defending Champion George Coetzee
English players David Horsey, Matthew Southgate, Jordan Smith, Matt Wallace, Ross, Mcgowan

Challenge Tour: Challenge Tour Grand Final 2021

The Challenge Tour Grand Final in the season 2021 is being played in Mallorca, Spain at the T-Golf & Country Club. The tournament starts on Thursday the 4th of November and ends on Sunday the 7th of November 2021.The Challenge Tour Grand Final is part of the Challenge Tour in the season 2021. In 2021 all players competing for a total prize money of 450.000 €.  With only two Englishmen on the field, hopefully they can put themselves on the leaderboard this weekend and receive their cards.

LPGA Tour Challenge Tour Grand Final
Course T-Golf & Country Club Poniente – Mallorca, Spain
Prize Money 450,000 Euro
Defending Champion Ondrej Lieser
English players Jonathon Thomson, Alfie Plant
Categories
European Tour Ladies European Tour PGA Tour

Viktor Hovland returns to defend his title on the PGA Tour.

Viktor Hovland of Norway (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

PGA Tour: World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba

The defending champion of this week’s tournament includes Scandinavian star Viktor Hovland of Norway. He has been putting Norway on the golf map since 2019 and last year he took home the trophy by completing four rounds of 67-69-63-65. He will tee up again this year to defend his title.

The World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba in the season 2022 is being played in Riviera Maya, Mexico at the El Camaleon Golf Club. The tournament starts at the Thursday, 4th of November and ends at the Sunday, 7th of November 2021. In 2022 all players competing for a total prize money of 7,200,000 $. The course for the tournament at El Camaleon Golf Club plays at Par 71.

PGA Tour World Wide Tech Championship
Course Riviera Maya, Mexiko at the El Camaleon Golf Club.
Prize Money 7,200,000 US-Dollar
Defending Champion Viktor Hovland
Scandinavian players Jonas Blixt(SWE), Richard Johnson(SWE), David Lingmerth(SWE). Ludvig Adberg(SWE)

LET Tour: Aramco Saudi Ladies International

The end of the 2021 Ladies European Tour (LET) season is ramping up and the next destination for the Tour is Saudi Arabia. Three-time Major winner Anna Nordqvist, who secured the AIG Women’s Open title just two weeks before Europe’s victory at Inverness Club, will tee it up.

The Aramco Saudi Ladies International in the season 2021 is being played in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia at the Royal Greens Golf Club. The tournament starts on Thursday the 4th of November and ends on Sunday the 7th of November 2021. In 2021 all players competing for a total prize money of 1 Mio $. The course for the tournament at Royal Greens Golf Club plays at Par 72.

LPGA Tour Aramco Saudi Ladies Tournament
Course Royal Greens Golf Club – Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Prize Money 1 Million Dollars
Defending Champion Emelie Kristine Pedersen
Skandinavian players Sanna Nuutinen(FIN),Ursula Wikstrom(FIN), Marianne Skarpnord(NO),Linda Wessberg(SWE)

European Tour: Portugal Masters 2021

The Portugal Masters in the season 2021 is being played in Vilamoura, Portugal at the Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course. The tournament starts on Thursday the 4th of November and ends on Sunday the 7th of November 2021. In 2021 all players competing for a total prize money of 1,5 Mio €.

The course for the tournament at Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course plays at Par 71. With stars like Rasmus Hojgaard on he field it will be an interesting weekend for the Scandinavian golfers. They have been doing quite well after Jeff Winther of Denmark won at the Mallorca Golf Open.

LPGA Tour Portugal Masters 2021
Course Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course – Vilamoura, Portugal
Prize Money 1.5 Million Euro
Defending Champion George Coetzee
Skandinavian players Sebastian SODERBERG(SWE), Rasmus HØJGAARD(DEN), Nicolai HØJGAARD(DEN)

Challenge Tour: Challenge Tour Grand Final 2021

The Challenge Tour Grand Final in the season 2021 is being played in Mallorca, Spain at the T-Golf & Country Club. The tournament starts on Thursday the 4th of November and ends on Sunday the 7th of November 2021.The Challenge Tour Grand Final is part of the Challenge Tour in the season 2021. In 2021 all players competing for a total prize money of 450.000 €. There are many Scandinavian players on the field compared to previous Challenge tournaments. Hopefully they can put themselves on the leaderboard this weekend and receive their cards.

LPGA Tour Challenge Tour Grand Final
Course T-Golf & Country Club Poniente – Mallorca, Spain
Prize Money 450,000 Euro
Defending Champion Ondrej Lieser
Skandinavian players Henric STUREHED(SWE), Jens Dantrop(SWE), Kristian Krogh Johannessen(DEN)
Categories
European Challenge Tour

Gouveia remains composed on day two in Spain

GIRONA, SPAIN - OCTOBER 20: Ricardo Gouveia of Portugal reacts after plays his second shot on the 9th hole during Day Two of Challenge Costa Brava at Emporda Golf Club on October 20, 2021 in Girona, Spain. (Photo by Octavio Passos/Getty Images)

The Challenge Tour is the second-tier men’s professional golf tour in Europe and is operated by the PGA European Tour. World ranking points are awarded for high finishes in Challenge Tour events. This week’s tournament is being played in Girona, Spain at the Empordà Golf Club.

Press release

Ricardo Gouveia posted a four under par round of 67 to open a two stroke lead before darkness halted round two of the Challenge Costa Brava.

The Portuguese got to ten under par at Empordà Golf with his closest challenger Frederic Lacroix of France reaching eight under par through 12 holes.

The 30-year-old  has  been in the winner’s circle twice this year at the Italian Challenge and the Made in Esbjerg Challenge – Presented by FREJA & TotalEnergies. After two solid first rounds in the second of two consecutive events on the same course, Gouveia is aiming to take his opportunities as he targets a sixth Challenge Tour victory.

Comments from Gouveia

“I played very well,” he said. “I finished yesterdays round this morning, played really solid, finished well yesterday and I just continued the good form from yesterday and yeah it’s really difficult out there, so I am happy with how I scored.

“The wind has been very steady this week from the same direction, and I started off well again this morning so to kind of have a small stop in between rounds was good and just to keep it going I was happy with the way I hit the ball as well.

“The course is the same and you know where not to hit the ball so yeah it really helps, and it was a new course last week so have four competitive rounds in it’s a really big help.

“It’s completely different conditions this week, the wind is from a different direction.

“I will do the same things and with this wind you just try and minimise the mistakes and take the opportunities when they come around and that’s the game plan for the rest of the tournament.”

Who else is up to par?

Chase Hanna of the United States and Norway’s Kristian Krogh Johannessen are a shot behind Lacroix of France at seven under par and will also complete their second rounds on Thursday.

Four-time European Tour winner Matteo Manassero and Björn Hellgren of Sweden both signed for one under par rounds of 70 to take fifth spot.

The second round of the Challenge Costa Brava was suspended due to darkness at 18:56pm local time and will resume at 8:50am on Thursday October 21, with round three not starting before 11:30am.

Press Release from European Tour Communications

Categories
European Challenge Tour

Dantorp ready for action at Challenge Costa Brava

GIRONA, SPAIN - OCTOBER 17: Jens Dantorp of Sweden plays his tee shot on the 1st hole during Day Four of the Emporda Challenge at Emporda Golf Club on October 17, 2021 in Girona, Spain. (Photo by Octavio Passos/Getty Images)

Jens Dantorp is aiming to build on his recent good run of form as the 2021 Road to Mallorca arrives at its penultimate stop at the Challenge Costa Brava.

The Swede has finished inside the top 15 in six of his last seven European Challenge Tour starts, including a seventh place finish at last week’s Empordà Challenge, the first of back-to-back events at Empordà Golf.

Climbing the Road to Mallorca rankings

The 32-year-old is currently 28th on the Road to Mallorca Rankings, with only this week’s Challenge Costa Brava and the season-ending Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final supported by The R&A left on the 2021 schedule, and Dantorp has a first victory since the Ras Al Khaimah, 2017 Golf Challenge in his sights – as well as a spot in that all-important top 20.

The Swede comments on his recent stellar performance

“The last part of the season has been pretty good for me,” he said. “It feels pretty good, I’ve been up there a few times but haven’t really got the job done. Hopefully I can get it done in at least one of the last two.

“My main goal this season was to finish inside the top 20, this is a good course and I know the course at the Grand Final is a good one as well so hopefully two good weeks are coming up, you know the game plan now so you just have to go out there and do it again.”

The 2013 Rolex Trophy winner has recorded nine top 20 finishes on the 2021 Road to Mallorca and believes this year it is all down to the fine margins having finished in 11th place on four separate occasions.

“I’ve wanted to be up there in the top five,” he said. “Overall, in terms of how I have played I feel pretty happy with that. There are small margins as to whether you’re in the top five or even 11th place, in which I have been four times this year, so hopefully I can have those margins on my side for the last two.

“I’m happy but not too happy. I’ll be happy if I am finishing in the top 20. If I get a win here obviously it’s going to help a lot, I can’t affect what the other people are doing, I just need to focus on getting my job done and hopefully that will be enough to win one of the two.”

Road to Mallorca Number Nine Marcel Schneider joins Dantorp in the field this week as he looks to cement his European Tour card for the 2022 season after recording two wins this year, while Frenchman Julien Brun, the winner of last week’s Empordà Challenge, will also tee it up at the Challenge Costa Brava.

The 2021 Challenge Costa Brava gets under way at 8:20am local time on Tuesday October 19, with Dantorp teeing it up at 8:50am alongside Spaniard Lucas Vacarisas and Nicolai Kristensen of Denmark.

Press Release from European Tour Communications

Categories
Ladies Tours Top Tours

English Excitement: Willet wins Alfred Dunhill and Thomson takes second at the Swiss Open.

(Photos: Getty Images)

Here is an overview of the best Brits and how they are measuring up in each tour. Taking a look at this last weekend’s tournaments and where the British golfers ranked. As a result, seeing where the lads stand in the official world ranking and predictions for upcoming tournaments.

European Tour: Great success on their own soil

Starting of with the European Tour, the British golf pros have been making headlines with Danny Willet bringing home the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship trophy. He came in 18 under par while Tyrell Hatton came in at T2 and Richard Bland in at T4. This is only the third occasion on this European Tour for Willet to come in Top 10. “I’m not sure what to say,” said Willet, who earned €674.856. “I’ve had a great time. I’ve just come through a couple of years of average stuff. Again. I seem to do that quite a lot, go up and down. But I’ve been working hard. People don’t necessarily see what goes on behind the scenes. So this is a good one for me.” Whatever has been going on behind the scenes obviously benefitted him for this weekend. It also may have been a bit of birthday luck.

Challenge Tour: Thomson is working his way up the rankings lists

Moving on to the Challenge Tour which consisted of the Swiss Challenge hosted at Golf Saint Apollinaire, Michelbach-Le-Haut, France. British golfer Jonathon Thomson came in at T2 and finishing 24-under-par. He currently sits at 99 on the Challenge Tour Ranking and 533 on the OWGR. He has currently made €29,455.43 in his 2021 golf career.

MICHELBACH-LE-HAUT, FRANCE – OCTOBER 03: Jonathan Thomson of England plays a shot during Day Four of the Swiss Challenge at Golf Saint Apollinaire on October 03, 2021 in Michelbach-Le-Haut, France. (Photo by Joosep Martinson/Getty Images)

LPGA: Shadoff shows-off her skills in this past tournament

Looking at the LPGA, we can focus on the English professional golfer Jodi Ewart Shadoff. She recently came in at T7 at the Shoprite LPGA Classic. It is her first top 10 this season coming in front of well known ladies such as Georgia Hall and Charley Hull who rolled in at T57. Shadoff said she “had to fight for this one” but a fight well done. This success puts Shadoff at 104 in the Rolex Rankings.

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Jodi Ewart Shadoff (@jodi_ewart)

Ladies European Tour: Dimmock gives it all she’s got before heading home

The Ladies European Tour resulted in only one English lady in the top ten and 11 other players making it before the cut. Annabel Dimmock who slid in at T10 and earned herself €5,375.00 in tournament winnings. “Happy with my T10 this week – Home time now” said Dimmock on her Instagram shortly after the tournament.

PGA Tour: Quite disappointing for the lads

Lastly the PGA Tour where the Sanderson Farms Championship was played at the Country Club of Jackson, in Jackson, Mississippi. Unfortunately, no British golfers made the cut including Aaron Rai and Matt Wallace who both had bad luck on this tournament. However, they both sit in the top 100 on the OWGR. Perhaps they will move up that ranking next week.

Categories
European Challenge Tour Satellite Tours

The Eurpean Challenge Tour announces two events in Spain this October: The Empordà Challenge and the Challenge Costa Brava

Britishman Ewen Ferguson teeing off at one of the Challenge Tour events from this year 2021 in Esbjerg, Denmark.

Date: Wednesday August 25, 2021
Empordà Golf to host second Spanish Swing of 2021

Press Release

The European Challenge Tour today announced that two events in Spain – the Empordà Challenge and the Challenge Costa Brava – will take place in consecutive weeks at Empordà Golf, this October.
The Empordà Challenge will be held from October 14-17 while the Challenge Costa Brava will then take place from Tuesday October 19 – Friday October 22. The latter will mark the end of the regular Road to Mallorca season, determining the 45-player field for the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final supported by The R&A from November 4-7.

Jamie Hodges, Javier Gervás, and Emilio Cuatrecasas look forward to welcoming these events

Empordà Golf is the former host venue of European Tour and European Tour Qualifying School events, and the two Challenge Tour tournaments will be played on the Links Course, which underwent substantial renovation work during 2020. The back-to-back events replace the Hainan Open and Foshan Open in China which were cancelled earlier this month due to the ongoing effects of the global pandemic.

Jamie Hodges, Head of Challenge Tour, said: “We are grateful to Empordà Golf and the promoter, JGolf, for their help in bringing these events to fruition.

“It was important for us to provide our members with these replacement tournaments to ensure playing opportunities were maximised at an important time of the season and having enjoyed a long and successful relationship with Javier Gervás and his team, we knew it would be possible to organise a solution with their help.

“Empordà Golf has stood the test of time in terms of hosting professional events and we are all excited to spend two weeks in Spain at such a wonderful venue.”

Javier Gervás, General Manager of JGolf, said: “When the space in the Road to Mallorca Schedule emerged we worked hard to help cover those two crucial weeks in the calendar.

“We knew that Empordà Golf were interested in going a step further in terms of the professional tournaments it has hosted and we therefore proposed hosting the last two Challenge Tour tournaments before the Grand Final.

“They have put in great effort that I am sure will be rewarded. We will now have two decisive tournaments in Spain this season with international coverage that will put Empordà Golf in the spotlight of world golf.”

Emilio Cuatrecasas, President of Empordà Golf Club, said: “The decision to hold the Empordà Challenge confirms the effort being made by all the Costa Brava clubs to improve their facilities and become a world-class sports destination.

“It is also noteworthy that the growing popularity of these international tournaments is driving many young people to practice golf, getting the clubs to feed not only their energy but also an updated vision of this sport that will bring considerable progress in the sporting, social and environmental fields.”

The Empordà Challenge and the Challenge Costa Brava will be the second Spanish Swing on the 2021 Road to Mallorca, following the Challenge de España and the Challenge de Cádiz, which took place at Real Club de Golf Novo Sancti Petri, Cadiz, in June.

The Empordà Challenge and the Challenge Costa Brava will be supported by the Challenge Tour, Empordà Golf, Girona Provincial Council through the Costa Brava Tourist Board and Kyocera. The promoter and organiser is JGolf.

Press Release by The European Challenge Tour

Categories
European Challenge Tour Live Satellite Tours

Tinning set for second Challenge of the Danish Swing

European Challenge Tour player from Denmark, Nicolai Tinning is set for the 2021 Sydbank Esbjerg Challenge.

Nicolai Tinning is looking to take inspiration from his sporting family as he prepares to tee it up in the Sydbank Esbjerg Challenge this week.

The Dane competed in his first European Challenge Tour event of the 2021 Road to Mallorca International Schedule last week at the Made in Esbjerg Challenge – Presented by FREJA & TotalEnergies, finishing in a respectable tie for tenth place at Esbjerg Golfklubb, which also provides the setting for this week’s event.

Tinning is looking to rekindle the winning tradition that is prominent in his family after his father

His father, Steen Tinning, has two wins apiece on both the European Tour and the Legends Tour, while Tinning Snr’s cousin, Iben Tinning, also had a successful career recording six Ladies European Tour titles.

“It’s amazing,” he said. “I’ve been coming here since I was 12, I have quite a big golf family. My dad is the guy to speak to about everything, we have talked a lot about Tour life and how to get around, how to behave and how to play Pro-Ams. Some of it I have learnt from my dad and I’ve talked a lot with my Dad’s cousin Iben who also played a high level of golf and of course my coach Ben.

“I enjoyed last week a lot, there was a lot of people here the first week, it was amazing. I didn’t play that well on Saturday but I played really well on Friday so it was amazing to play here and there can’t be a better place for me to play a tournament.”

The 28-year-old competed in 19 European Challenge Tour events in 2019 with his best result coming at the Swiss Challenge Presented by Swiss Golf in which the Dane recorded a tie for 13th place but has admitted that it is excellent to be back playing after being very busy off the course.

“I’m just trying to enjoy it,” he said. “I played 19 events on the Challenge Tour and then Covid came. There have been a lot of things going on in my personal life, I’m going to be a dad in January, and I got married last year, so it’s just trying to enjoy it and play this amazing course. I just love being here.”

Tinning is joined in the field for the Sydbank Esbjerg Challenge by last week’s Made in Esbjerg – Presented by FREJA & TotalEnergies champion and five-time Challenge Tour winner Ricardo Gouveia, as well as three-time Challenge Tour winner Daan Huizing.

The action in the second event of the Danish Swing gets under way at 7:30am local time on Tuesday August 17, with Tinning teeing it up alongside fellow Dane Nicolai Kristensen and Robin Dawson of Ireland at 9:10am.

Press Release by the European Communication

Categories
European Challenge Tour

Challenge Tour: Huizing looks to get back to winning ways in Denmark

Daan Huizing, from the Challenge Tour, looks forward to play again in Denmark at the Made in Esbjerg Challenge 2021.

Daan Huizing is looking forward to back-to-back events in Denmark as he attempts to return to winning ways in the Made in Esbjerg Challenge Presented by FREJA & TotalEnergies.

The Dutchman has competed in 12 tournaments out of 16 on the 2021 European Challenge Tour schedule securing five top 20 finishes. That record includes victory at the Irish Challenge in May after producing a sensational round carding a four under par round of 67, beating Eduard Rousaud in a play-off to secure his third European Challenge Tour title.

Huizing is looking to rekindle that kinds of form in the next event of the Challenge Tour in Denmark this week.

“I think points wise it’s huge,” he said. “I also think for my own progression and development as a player. I think I’ve matured a lot in the last two, three years and showing really good improvement towards the European Tour.”

“Of course you want to win and I thought Ireland was beautiful I loved the place, I loved the whole week, even walking on the last hole or walking in the play-off I said to myself wow, I love it here, how beautiful is this? That was a great state of mind to be in and then you play your best golf and now it’s a challenge to get those ingredients back again and put it all together again so I can win again.”

Huizing said playing back-to-back events can be challenging at times but is looking forward to being back in Denmark after finishing a solid tied 12th place at the Vierumäki Finnish Challenge last week.

“All I’ve heard is that it’s really good, so yes I am definitely looking forward to it,” he said. “The courses I have played in Denmark have all been good, the greens have always been very nice, last week in Finland was also top notch.”

“I did it one time in Spain (playing back-to-back events) and I actually thought it was quite challenging because the course gets a little mind numbing, maybe it’s different here because it’s a tougher course and maybe they can do more with the course, but I think for them to have the events in the first place is a really great achievement. I don’t mind it and especially on a great golf course like this I am actually looking forward to it.”

The 30-year-old is currently in ninth position on the Road to Mallorca but is focused on climbing the rankings in order to secure a return to the European Tour.

“I have my goal which is to finish in the top five of the Rankings, then you will have a better category for next year, so week in week out you try and give your best, get results and get more points on the board.”

Huizing is joined in the field for the Made in Esbjerg Challenge by last week’s Vierumäki Finnish Challenge winner Marcus Helligkilde and Italian Challenge and four-time European Challenge Tour winner Ricardo Gouveia.

The action in Denmark gets under way at 7:30am local time, with Huizing teeing it up alongside Denmark’s John Axelsen and Englishman Andrew Wilson at 13:20.

Press Release by the European Tour Communication