The challenge was to be among the top 25 and only two Spaniards have achieved it. Barcelona’s Pep Angles and Madrid’s Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño have obtained the European Tour card for 2018 after successfully finishing, among the top 15, the demanding Final of the Qualifying School, played in the Tarragona course of Lumine Golf Club.
Both have concluded the week, the 108 holes, in a meritorious shared twelfth with -16 to the total, and with the added merit of overcoming discreet beginnings. The player from Barcelona started with a 73 followed by rounds of 70, 69, 68, 65 and 67; the player from Madrid, on the other hand, started with a 72 followed by rounds of 70, 69, 68, 65 and 68.
On the sixth and final day, in which 58 of the 74 players played under par, which led to constant movement, both Pep Anglés and Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño were able to play solidly and calmly, as indicated by the fact that between them they only made one bogey.
It is worth remembering that Pep Angles, who entered the circuit after a great 2016 in the Challenge, has played 27 tournaments this year, while Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño, who has been developing his career in the United States for four years, has a long history on the continental tour (238 appearances since 2000), where he has seven victories.
In addition, out of the Top 25 that gave access to the card have been the amateur Adriá Arnaus (T65, -5) and Alejandro Cañizares (T74, +2), who overcame the sieve but could not hook to the top positions.
Earlier, Eduardo de la Riva, Alfredo García-Heredia and Carlos del Moral could not overcome the sieve established in 60th place and tied.
Four Spaniards advanced to the second stage
Four Spanish players -Adriá Arnaus, Eduardo de la Riva, Alfredo García-Heredia and Carlos del Moral- passed the second phase of the European Tour Qualifying School in the first week of November, earning their passports to play the grand final.
This second phase was held in four Spanish venues. In Desert Springs (Almeria) Adriá Arnaus, one of the great sensations of the season, got the pass, and he did it from seventh place with -11 to the total.
At El Saler Golf Course (Valencia) Eduardo de la Riva (T13, par) and Alfredo García-Heredia (T17, +1) passed; at Las Colinas Golf & Country Club (Alicante) none of the four Spaniards passed the sieve; and at Panorámica Golf & Sport Resort (Castellón), where play was suspended on one of the days, Carlos del Moral, fourth classified with -13, obtained his pass.
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