The Open de España presented by Madrid will once again bring together one of the best generations of Spanish golfers in recent times. Jon Rahm and Sergio García will be, as always, a huge draw for the fans, but the Armada they spearhead includes plenty of home players who have every reason to believe they can keep the trophy at home.
Few have more reasons to believe this than Eugenio Chacarra. The Madrid native is enjoying a tremendous season, with two consecutive wins on the DP World Tour, first at the KLM Open and then the Italian Open. The two victories served as confirmation of what many have known for some time; when Chacarra gets a sniff of victory, he knows how to get over the line. At 26 years of age, he is back in Madrid as one of the most in-form Spaniards of the moment and he now has the perfect opportunity to prove it in front of his own people.
Close behind him, though, will be the Elvira brothers, who have both enjoyed a special season. Nacho won this year at the Dubai Invitational, while Manu arrives in the Spanish capital having come painfully close to his first DP World Tour title at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. His spectacular eagle on the 17th meant he arrived on the 18th tee with a genuine chance of victory. However, his chances were thwarted by a cruel ending that was not befitting of one of the best tournaments of his career. Two brothers, two different styles, and two players capable of appearing on the leaderboard on any weekend.
Ángel Ayora is also deserving of a special mention. At just 21 years of age, the Malaga native continues to prove he is already one of the stars of Spanish golf. His power, nerve and a natural ability to compete belie his years. A fourth-place finish at the Italian Open, where fellow Spaniard Chacarra took the spoils, was yet more proof of what Ayora is capable of.
And the list goes on. David Puig, Alejandro del Rey, Ángel Hidalgo, Jorge Campillo, Pablo Larrazábal, Rafa Cabrera Bello, Iván Cantero and company complete a healthy group of Spaniards, all of whom are competitive and used to winning.
Furthermore, recent history is on their side; five of the last seven Opens de España have ended with a Spanish victory. In Madrid, playing at home brings added pressure, but it also spurs the Spaniards on.
