Raphael Jacquelin is determined to become the first player to successfully defend the Spanish Open when the event returns to PGA Catalunya Resort in Girona this week.
The Frenchman had to endure a gruelling nine-hole play-off last year at Parador de El Saler before edging out first Chilean Felipe Aguilar on the third extra hole and then German Max Kieffer in the joint-longest play-off since the European Tour’s formation in 1972.
The venue, which hosted its first Spanish Open a year after its opening, in 2000, and again in 2009, has been the venue for the European Tour Qualifying School Final Stage since 2008.
Jacquelin became just the third Frenchman to win the event and the 30-year-old is relishing the opportunity to return to Spanish soil.
The four-time European Tour winner, who finished tied eighth at The Cham- pionship at Laguna National in Singapore two weeks ago, said: “It’s another course for us this year, but I’m really looking forward to defending my title.
“Last year was a great win for me. It was a long nine-hole play-off, so it was obviously very tough mentally and physically, but it finished well for me, which made it a little easier to recover from it.
“When I won in Madrid in 2005 the tournament changed course the following year too, so I’ve done it before. I’m happy to go to Girona though. I’ve not played the course much – only the year that Thomas Levet won. It’s a great venue and it is always nice to go as defending champion. You get a good draw and hopefully that will help me to continue the form I showed in Singapore.
“It was a nice way to finish in Singapore with a 66 and hopefully I will carry that on into the season in Europe. It was great to have that round before I defend my title in Spain.”
Jacquelin heads a strong field which includes home favourite Sergio Garcia, who won the event back in 2002 thanks to a commanding four-shot victory on the Canary Islands.
Garcia, winner of the Qatar Masters back in January, is joined by several other victorious Spaniards on ‘The Race to Dubai’ in what has been a hugely successful season for the southern European nation.
Miguel Angel Jimenez has become a sporting icon in his native land as he continues to defy his 50 years and the Indian summer of his career continued as he won the Hong Kong Open in December, extending his own record as the oldest winner in the tour’s history.
A month later Pablo Larrazabal became the latest Spaniard to join the winners’ enclosure in the 2014 season as he beat Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson by a shot to claim the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship. Aberdeen golfer Paul Lawrie will make his comeback from injury at this week’s event.
The Press and Journal columnist has not competed since the Dubai Desert Classic at the beginning of February because of a neck injury.
Fellow Aberdonian Richie Ramsay is also in the field.