There is much more at stake than the title at this week’s Open de España presented by Madrid. Alongside the coveted invites to the Masters and The Open, the closing stretch of the DP World Tour season brings with it one of the year’s most compelling contests to Madrid; the race to secure one of ten cards to compete on the PGA Tour next season.
As part of the strategic alliance between the two tours, the ten highest-ranked eligible players in the Race to Dubai at the end of the season will earn a PGA Tour card. With only five tournaments remaining, every point is becoming hugely valuable.
Three players have already sealed their place as they arrive in the Spanish capital: Race to Dubai leader Patrick Reed, Spain’s Eugenio Chacarra and Casey Jarvis. Jayden Schaper is also very well placed to secure his card.
Behind them, however, the margins are much tighter. Andy Sullivan, Jacob Skov Olesen, Bernd Wiesberger, Oliver Lindell, Daniel Hillier and Joe Dean would currently occupy the other six places that provide access to the PGA Tour.
One member of that list already has a wealth of international experience under his belt. A PGA Tour card for Wiesberger, who turns 41 this month, would mean an opportunity to compete regularly in the United States again for the first time in more than five years.
Nacho Elvira, just 17 points away
The battle for the tenth and final place is nail-bitingly close. Nacho Elvira, 15th in the Race to Dubai and 11th in this separate ranking, is just 17 points behind Joe Dean, a tiny margin at this stage of the season. To put it into context, roughly 17 points can be earned with a 55th-place finish in a DP World Tour event.
Ángel Ayora, who is currently 19th in the Race to Dubai, is not far away either. The young Spaniard is around 140 points off the places that earn a PGA Tour card, a gap that a strong result in Madrid could reduce considerably.
The list of Spaniards in with a chance does not end there. David Puig, Ángel Hidalgo, Manuel Elvira and Jorge Campillo, all inside the top 45 of the Race to Dubai, are still well in contention. With plenty of points still up for grabs, a big result this week could completely transform the outlook for any of them.
The same applies to much of the field. Any player inside the top 100 of the Race to Dubai can still make a considerable leap up the ranking with an outstanding performance at Real Club de Campo Villa de Madrid.
In these closing weeks of the European calendar, players are not only competing for titles, Race to Dubai positions, or to secure their card for next season. For many, the prize could be even greater; one of the ten places that open the door directly to the PGA Tour.
This week, Madrid will be one of the key battlegrounds in that race.
