Maximilian Walz has won his first victory in the Gecko Tour after winning the event held this week at the Marbella Golf Country Club and Santa Clara Golf Marbella courses. The young German player inaugurates his record in the best winter circuit in Europe after a final round that has been a brutal battle of nerves, with an outcome not suitable for those who suffer from heart disease.
Gabriel Cañizares reached the last hole of the tournament, the 18th at Marbella Golf CC, with a one stroke lead over Walz and two over Carlos Balmaseda. The three were playing together, so, although a priori the advantage was for Cañizares, it would be that hole that would finally dictate the sentence.
The film still had an unexpected and very exciting last turn. Walz got a very valuable birdie, while Gabriel Cañizares finished with a painful double bogey that relegated him to second place, shared with Balmaseda and Englishman Sam Connor, author of the best round of the day (68 strokes). A new example of why in sport everything is bull until the tail.
Walz finally won with a total score of 209 strokes, two strokes ahead of Connor, Cañizares and Balmaseda and three strokes ahead of Chilean Mark Tullo. The winner is 23 years old and was educated at the University of Louisville, in the United States. He has played one European Tour tournament, the Omega European Open in Switzerland in 2012, where he missed the cut, although he left his visiting card with a very good first round of 69 strokes. This is his first victory as a professional: “I am very happy, I want to dedicate it to my family and my team. I am lucky to have a very good group of coaches around me,” he said after collecting the prize.
The key to the tournament was the last hole. Walz admitted it was vibrant. “It was a real roller coaster, with so many changes that I didn’t even know who the leader was on the last hole. Anything could have happened, as my teammates, Gabriel and Carlos, played very well. However, luckily, in the end I won. I knew I had to make birdie and it went very well”, he explained.
The players have again highlighted the level of preparation of the two courses that have hosted the tournament this week, even though the conditions have been complicated again by the wind. “The courses were great, although it has not been easy. It has been windier even than the Spanish players expected,” he said.
Walz also acknowledged that he has come to play the Gecko on the recommendation of a friend, Patrick Kopp, who curiously was the pro who won at Rio Real and Atalaya. Now those with the hand can brag.
The tournament has left very spectacular moments, not in vain even two holes in one have been seen. If it is difficult to make one during the tournament, to see two is already outstanding. The first was made by Carlos Rodiles on Tuesday, in the first round, on the 11th hole of the Marbella Golf CC. “I hit a 6 iron 185 meters from the flag with the wind helping from the right”, he explains. Meanwhile, the second was the work of James Need on Wednesday, on hole 3 of the same course: “I hit the pitching wedge to 140 meters”. Just two examples of the enormous level that is experienced at the Gecko every week.
The next tournament of the circuit will take place from February 22 to 24 at the San Roque Club and Finca Cortesín courses.
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