The Swedish player based in Malaga Marcus Svensson has won the 2017 Men’s Andalusia Cup, a test in which he has solved with efficiency and good game his duel with a wide range of Spanish golfers. At the Real Club de Golf Guadalmina (San Pedro de Alcántara, Marbella, Málaga), the club where he is federated, the Swede has won with three strokes of income over Pablo Rodríguez-Tabernero from Seville and Adriá Arnaus from Barcelona.
Marcus Svensson, with a handicap of -5.0, started out as one of the main candidates for the title, a feeling that was corroborated as the rounds went by. Always solid and consistent, his victory was undisputed.
On the fourth day he was able to manage his five-stroke lead over the second classified, Alejandro del Rey from Madrid, with a correct round of 74 strokes (+2). After completing two intermediate rounds with just one bogey, he scored three, although he never suffered too much.
Pablo Rodríguez-Tabernero and Adriá Arnaus tried to take advantage of Marcus Svensson’s higher round to make him uncomfortable. The former’s 72 (par) and the latter’s good 70 (-2) were not enough to achieve it, but it was enough to complete a fantastic week in the Malaga course.
Six other Spaniards have slipped into the Top 10, with Ignacio Montero, Alejandro del Rey and Ángel Hidalgo -fifth with -1- at the top. The pair of Javier Sainz and Joan Tous, with the best round of the day (68) together with that of Ignacio Montero, and the +1 of Víctor Pastor finished sealing a classification with a clear local color.
Two 65 marked the first day
Two sensational rounds of 65 strokes (-7) led Alejandro del Rey and Adriá Arnaus to the lead on the first day of the Copa de Andalucía Men. The Spaniard scored an eagle, six birdies and a bogey, while the Spaniard had seven birdies without penalty to draw another extraordinary card. Both golfers settled in the lead with four strokes of income on the Dutch Rody Haije, who with 69 was the best of the foreign fleet, and the Andalusian Felipe Barrena.
In total, 13 players finished the day under par, including six Spaniards with Tomás Millet, Xabier Gorospe and Antonio Cruz-Conde, all with -2, in the lead.
On the second day Angel Hidalgo gave a blow to the table with the authority of a champion of Spain: he signed a magnificent round of 66 strokes (-6) that took him to the top of the ranking.
Six faultless birdies adorned the card of one of the most in-form golfers on the national scene to put him in a privileged position: with a total of -7 he dominated the competition. His advantage, however, was only one stroke ahead of Marcus Svensson, who scored a 68 (-4).
Marcus Svensson himself took a giant step towards the title in the third round when he shot 69 strokes (-3) and took advantage of the slip of Angel Hidalgo, who did not have his day and went to 80 strokes (+8).
The Swedish player finished the day at -9 and with a lead of four strokes over Alejandro del Rey and five over Pablo Rodríguez-Tabernero, who again played under par.
It should be noted that the event, scoring for the Boy National Ranking and for the World Ranking, has hosted 90 players. It was played over 72 Stroke Play holes in four consecutive days, with 18 holes each day. At the end of the third day, a cut was made and 56 players passed.
FINAL RESULTS
1.- Marcus Svensson 281 (+70+68+69+74)
2.- Pablo Rodriguez-Tabernero 284 (72+71+69+72)
+.- Adriá Arnaus 284 (65+78+71+70)
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