Frenchman Matthieu Pavon has inscribed his name in the select list of winners of the ACCIONA Open de España presented by Madrid, the well-deserved destination for an objectively outstanding performance, which resulted in an unquestionable dominance from start to finish.
From the first to the last day, the French golfer established an impeccable record that allows him to join the select club of winners of this centenary tournament, which includes, among others, Severiano Ballesteros and Jon Rahm.
He also executed it with a perennial success, a 23 under par that even made him flirt with the record for the lowest score in the history of the Spanish Open, set twelve months ago precisely by Jon Rahm, with 25 under par.
The French golfer literally swept away his rivals -four strokes ahead of South African Zamber Lombard, second classified-, lifted the trophy and was applauded by the audience as a reward for a great performance that also allows him to add his first professional victory in the DP World Tour.
However, the affection, fervor and admiration of all those present had another destination perfectly defined since the competition began: the omnipresent Jon Rahm. The Basque golfer, as sensational a person as he is a sportsman, was on the brink of the abyss for three rounds before undertaking a reaction that for a couple of hours led all Spanish fans to dream.
He started from the depths of the standings, 9 strokes behind the leader, a dark situation that gave way, however, to a dazzling light. Those putts missed by mere centimeters, which weighed down his scorecards and his morale during the previous days, were transformed into surgical precision strokes.
Birdie on hole 1 and subsequent ovation. Birdie on hole 2 was rewarded with another ovation. Birdie on hole 3 that generated a monumental shouting and nervous crossing of glances among all those present, eager to witness that dreamed historical reaction that acquired more glimpses of reality when, on hole 4, Jon Rahm did it again, the fourth consecutive birdie that, definitely, unleashed the collective euphoria.
It was not necessary to follow Jon Rahm’s match to perceive the result of some actions that the audience was in charge of transmitting to all corners of the course through an already overflowing chorus that could be heard many holes away.
Jon Rahm, in a succession of hits with no apparent end, again made birdies on holes 7 and 8, both hits that were about, by just a few centimeters, to be reproduced again on holes 9 and 10.
The impressive Basque cyclone took Jon Rahm to the provisional third position, just three strokes behind leader Pavon, who still had the whole round to complete, a wave of hits that also eclipsed the performance of other Spanish golfers with very visible merits.
It was the case of Alfredo García Heredia, ninth classified next to Rahm, author again of a great tournament, reediting the Asturian’s tendency to achieve great results in the Open de España based on patient success.
Special mention must also go to Alejandro del Rey, finally placed 17th, three ahead of Gonzalo Fernández Castaño and Pablo Larrazábal, who both had good performances.
The tournament was over, but the throbbing sensations were still resting on that
Basque gale stopped at the 13th hole, when an untimely bogey definitively cut Jon Rahm’s chances of winning.
Without its undisputed leader, the Spanish Open was left in the hands of the inspired Matthieu Pavon and the sensational final round of the German Marcel Siem, 61 strokes that equaled the course record at the Villa de Madrid.
Already at the awards ceremony, the praises and deserved applause went to the French golfer, but the real affection, fervor and admiration were still attached to Jon Rahm. “I would have loved to make the last putt for eagle on the 18th hole, for them, for the public, because they deserve it,” he said before taking a bath of masses among the fans.
.
AROUND GREEN
Matthieu Pavón, crowned on the 18th green
The green of the 18th hole, the casserole in which the Madrid public has supported the players throughout the week, has been once again the place chosen to crown the winner of this ACCIONA Open de España presented by Madrid. Matthieu Pavon received the award from José Luis Martínez-Almeida, Mayor of Madrid, and Gonzaga Escauriaza, President of the RFEG, while Alfredo García Heredia received his award as best Spaniard from Ander Martínez, President of the PGA of Spain. In addition, José Manuel Entrecanales, Executive Chairman of Acciona, presented the Emissions Below Zero award to the French player himself.
Álex del Rey overcomes everything
One of the most celebrated rounds was the 68 (-3) of Álex del Rey (-12) with which he captured a place in the Top 20. This is a very meritorious performance, since his week has had its complications: he was on top after the first 36 holes, but in the third hole he seemed to move away from the top with five bogeys in the first eight holes. He recovered with a nice eagle at the 14th and managed to close the day under par. This Sunday he put the icing on the cake with three birdies in the last five holes.
With the card for 2024 already practically assured, the next goal of the Madrilenian is to give himself more Sundays with a chance to win, as he said to the media. Playing as he has done in the Villa de Madrid, he will achieve it without problems.
In addition, it is worth remembering that eleven Spaniards played this weekend; besides the well-known Alfredo García Heredia (-14), Jon Rahm (-14), Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño (-11), Pablo Larrazábal (-11), Adrián Otaegui (-10) and Santiago Tarrío (-10), Jorge Campillo (-4), Rafael Cabrera Bello (-3), Adri Arnaus (-3) Víctor García Broto (-2) also played.
Champions for the first time
Eleven players, with the latest addition of Matthieu Pavon, achieved their first victory in the European Tour conquering the Spanish Open. The list of winners began with Antonio Garrido from Madrid, who won the first title in the National Open held under the umbrella of the European Tour in 1972. Subsequently, Joakim Haeggman (1993) and Padraig Harrington (1996) joined this list. Even more recent in this half-century journey, there was a time when it seemed that the Open de España was destined to be the first triumph of the
Tour champions, since between 2000 and 2008, no less than five players debuted their list of victories: Brian Davis (2000), Kenneth Ferrie (2003), Christian Cévaër (2004), Peter Hanson (2205) and Peter Lawrie (2008). Lastly, Thomas Aiken (2011), Andrew Johnston (2016) and Matthieu Pavon (2023) joined the list.
Jon’s dizzying numbers at the Spanish Open
Jon Rahm has played five editions of the Open de España, one at the Centro Nacional de Golf and four at the Villa de Madrid. And his numbers in all these deliveries are simply outrageous: three victories (2018, 2019 and 2022), a 17th place (2021) and a ninth place (2023).
In these five editions he has completed twenty rounds of golf. Only twice has he played over par, and he has done so with a 72 (+1). Along the way he has given the Spanish public wonderful rounds, such as the 63 in 2019 and 2021 or last year’s 62 to finish off his triumph. On those three occasions he made an eagle.
Marcel Siem equals Ross McGowan’s 61
It was not enough for him to win, but it was enough to say goodbye to Madrid with an extremely sweet taste. We are talking about the German Marcel Siem, a veteran with five victories in the DP World Tour who equaled this Sunday the course record of the Club de Campo Villa de Madrid with a sensational 61 (-10). With his seven birdies and two eagles he has equaled the feat of the Englishman Ross McGowan in the 2021 edition of the Acciona Open de España.
After the “unforgettable” week, the World Cup and the school
“No matter how the week ends, for me it has been unforgettable”, said Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño at the end of the third day. In the end, 20th place and moments of great golf, like that spectacular chip for birdie on the 5th hole. This very night, the player from Madrid will board a plane to lead the Spanish expedition to the Men’s Amateur World Championship to be held in Abu Dhabi from Wednesday. There, with Ángel Ayora, Luis Masaveu and Josele Ballester as his pupils, he has an arduous mission: to win the first title for Spanish golf.
A tournament with a positive impact on the social and environmental environment
ACCIONA, the Spanish infrastructure and renewable energy promotion and management company, main sponsor of the Open de España Masculino, and Madrid Trophy Promotion, organizer of the tournament, have increased their commitment this year to make it an event with a “positive impact” on the social and environmental surroundings, especially in terms of controlling greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere as a means of combating climate change.
To this end, the tournament has once again been awarded a recognized international certification attesting to the sustainable performance of the tournament’s management in all its operations.
At the same time, efforts have been optimized to minimize the major impacts generated (mobility, circularity of materials and energy and water consumption), using electric vehicles, solar panels for energy generation and planting more than 6,000 trees over the last three years.
.
AT THE MICROPHONE
Matthieu Pavon (Winner with 261 strokes, -23. Today, 64, -7): “My grandfather was from Madrid, so it is very special for me to win here”.
“I didn’t see what Jon Rahm was doing on the first few holes, I try not to look at the scores before I go out. I never do and I didn’t do it now. I knew it was far away from me, and that’s why I didn’t pay too much attention to the course.
In professional sports it is very difficult to win. It’s like a journey, and you have to fight a lot. I don’t know if this victory will change anything for me, we’ll see in a year’s time.
I played this course, the Villa de Madrid, in the Alps Tour about ten years ago, and I had good memories. Last year I played well, but Jon beat me. Everything has been nice, from the course to the public. I felt at home. These two years the public in Madrid has helped me a lot. My grandfather was from Madrid, and that’s why it’s something very special to win in Madrid.
I have not had in mind during the round neither the possibility of gaining positions for the Olympic Games in Paris nor the PGA Tour card. In any case, it would be a great honor to represent my country at the Games. Hopefully it will happen.”
Jon Rahm (9th with 270 strokes, -16. Today, 64, -7): “Let’s see if next year I give myself better options for Sunday”.
“It was a very, very good day. I started off really well, and it was a shame that I got a little bit stuck at the beginning of the second lap. The week… I would have liked it to have been better. I had very different days. On the first day I hit the ball incredibly well, on the second day I didn’t play badly, but I didn’t get a result, I didn’t make many putts. At the weekend I fixed it a little bit. Friday was a complicated day. Let’s see if next year I give myself better options for Sunday.
I gave as much of a show as I could. I’m going to remember all night the putt on the 18th, which I thought was going to the center and it went to the right, it hurt my whole soul, because it would have been incredible to give the public that drive and that putt. I did what I could at the beginning, I made a couple of putts, I hit some good shots and at least I had a good Sunday. It makes me go back home with a different face. Now it’s time to rest. I will play the final in Dubai, and then I will disconnect.
I am very aware of how the Spanish public loves me. During the round I have to be focused on my game, I can’t be attentive to what they tell me, but when I finish playing I see this commotion, of course. I really appreciate that they follow me and support me.”
Alfredo García Heredia (9th with 270 strokes, -16. Today, 69, -2): “I give my week a 7”.
“I finished with a good last round, very solid off the tee. I didn’t leave them too far away, but not too close either, and it’s no secret that putting is not my strong suit, although the stats say that this year I’m kicking much better than last year. The mole has been those absurd mistakes on 15 and 16, but overall, satisfied.
The grade I give myself for the week is a 7. I think that both yesterday and today I was able to get something more. I’m a little short of being at my best golf. I have not been completely solid and I have made Top 10, so the day I am really solid I hope to be there to win. Now to secure my card in 2024 I will have to play well in Sotogrande and trust that the European Tour will keep its word and invite me to Qatar, as I was told”.
Leave a Reply