Macarena Campomanes has done it again. With a simply masterful performance on the final day, the golfer from Madrid was proclaimed European Senior Individual Champion this Saturday for the third time in the last four years. With this title obtained at the Patriziale Golf Course in Ascona, in southern Switzerland, she consolidates her position as one of the most successful players in continental women’s amateur golf.
Always competitive and ambitious, Macarena Campomanes faced the last day of the tournament with blood in her eyes. With her mind set on making the Swiss Sophie Ducrey, starting leader, feel the pressure of being close to a title of such dimensions. And she achieved it with an early birdie on hole 2 that contrasted with the bogey of the Swiss.
The final stroke came with a fantastic sequence of birdies on holes 6, 7 and 8 to which her rival found no answer. The local golfer, threatened by the defending champion, gradually gave in and assumed that the trophy would travel to Madrid once again.
In the last nine holes Macarena, with an advantage of 6-7 strokes, was securing the pars with the only shock of a bogey on the 14th, later compensated with a birdie on the 17th.
Macarena Campomanes kicked for the last time on the 18th, looked at the sky, remembered all the silent work behind such success and smiled, as it could not be otherwise. It is the reward for daily training, ambition well understood and a love for golf that knows no limits. Three times European champion, which is soon to be said.
María de Orueta’s performance was also praiseworthy. Although she did not have the best finish (76), she retained her place in the Top 10: she was seventh with +7. Xonia Wunsch (T22, +13) and Marta Trallero (T29, +16) closed the Spanish circle.
A resume on a par with the best European amateurs in history
Spanish U18 and Junior Champion in 1982, Macarena Campomanes continues to chisel, more than three decades later, a career of incredible dimensions within the amateur field, not only in Spain, but also in Europe.
Double World Team Champion (1986 and 1992), several Spanish Interclub Championships, Over 35, Senior, Senior Doubles, Internationals, European Senior Champion in 2016, 2018 and 2018 -and runner-up in 2017-, winner of the British Senior Amateur 2017…, Macarena Campomanes continues to add notches of extraordinary brilliance to her impressive track record.
This year she has added to this long list, in addition to this title in Switzerland, with her victories in the Spanish International and the Spanish Individual Championship. Macarena Campomanes goes on and on.
Great finish for Ignacio Gonzalez
Regarding the men’s event, slightly overshadowed in the eyes of the Spanish fan by the victory of Macarena Campomanes in the women’s, it is worth mentioning the sensational finish of Ignacio Gonzalez, who has gone from strength to strength in the tournament to earn a place in extremis of the Top 10.
The Spaniard recovered from his opening 77 with a 69 on the second day and, above all, with a spectacular 66 in the final. Eleven birdies for four bogeys in the last 36 holes make us wonder what would have happened if that first round had not gone wrong. Ignacio Gonzalez has shown once again that he has the golf to look anyone in Europe in the eye.
His great finish -he finished with -1 to the total- contrasted with the discreet last round of Alvaro Llanza (+1 to the total), who lost his place in the Top 10 after two days among the best. A remarkable week for him. Alejandro Lafarga, the third Spaniard in the cut, said goodbye with a good 68 for +4 to the total. The victory went to the Swede Mattias Pernheden (-10).
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