A quick stroll around Club de Campo Villa de Madrid is enough to give you the feeling that a historic ACCIONA Open de España is on the horizon. You might bump into a Tommy Fleetwood, smiling from ear to ear as he gets his first taste of the course, or a Sepp Straka collecting a bucket of balls and having a chat with an acquaintance. Maybe you’ll see Pablo Larrazábal on the putting green having a joke with his brother, or a US Masters champion, no less, in Patrick Reed getting his first look at the back nine of Javier Arana’s Black Course. There’s something in the air at this week’s venue.
You realise that something special is happening in the Spanish capital when you see Tyrrell Hatton on the driving range with Jon Rahm’s caddie on his bag. The Barrika native’s faithful looper arrived before his boss to get a look at the course. The English player, having played last week in the USA, was taking his time on the range to adapt to the flight of the ball in Madrid. He has come directly from Dallas, which lies at 131 metres above sea level, compared to the 657 metres in the Spanish capital. He won’t have to worry, though, because his wedges already look dialled in. Hatton took direct aim at a small advertising board 100 yards away and hit it three times in a row. Keep an eye on the Englishman this week!
Four major champions, seven members of the world’s top 50, and the presence of a Jon Rahm who would be part of any conversation about who might steal Scottie Scheffler’s crown as the best player in the world. 23 Spanish players are ramping up to kick off their campaigns at home, and they’ll be joined by a whole host of DP World Tour stalwarts. The Aaron Rais, Victor Perezes and Matt Wallaces of the Tour cannot be written off either as they attempt to go under the radar and claim the trophy on Sunday. The countdown has begun; there are just two days left until the best golf ever at the Open de España gets underway.
