The Back 9 reaches its penultimate event as the DP World Tour heads back to Spain for the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters. Here are your five things to know.
Hidalgo hopes to shine again on home soil as Rahm headlines
Less than two weeks on from the Acciona Open de España presented by Madrid, Angel Hidalgo is back in Spain ready to tee it up on home soil for the first time as a DP World Tour winner. Having finished solo fourth at Real Club Valderrama in 2022 to secure his DP World Tour card for the following season, the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters is a tournament which holds fond memories, and he will hope to create more as he plays his seventh event in as many weeks. Another player who has the hearts of his nation and tees it up this week is his compatriot and two-time Major winner Jon Rahm, who he beat in a play-off in the Spanish capital last month. After his runner-up finish, Rahm backed it up with another top ten and is undeniably the favourite as he looks to extend his record of winning at least once on the DP World Tour for a fourth season running. Also flying high on the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex are their Spanish compatriots Nacho Elvira and Adrian Otaegui – a winner of this event in 2022 – after both claimed titles earlier in the season, in Belgium and China respectively. Such is the depth in Spanish golf, it would be no surprise if another home talent was to emerge victorious on Sunday.
Play-Off push continues in Spain
There are just two events left to qualify for the DP World Tour Play-Offs and the competition is heating up right on the bubble on the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex. The top 70 after next week's Genesis Championship will qualify for the Play-Offs, which begin with the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and conclude with the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, where the top 50 in the Rankings will tee it up. One week can change everything as Dan Bradbury proved, with his win at the FedEx Open de France securing his Play-Off spot, jumping 73 places from just inside the top 100. Jeff Winther's runner-up finish also moved him into the top 70 and while Sean Crocker and Jeong weon Ko dropped out, they could still fight their way back in over eight more days of golf. It's all to play for.
Dan Bradbury qualifies for the DP World Tour Play-Offs following his victory at Le Golf National.
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) October 14, 2024
All you need to know about the Play-Offs, including who else has qualified 👇
Battle for cards heats up
It's that time of the season where the heat is on at both ends of the Rankings. While some players are fighting for the Harry Vardon Trophy and a place in the Play-Offs, others are playing for their place on Tour, with the current cut off sitting at 115th on the Rankings. The man currently on the outside looking in at 116th is local hero, Ryder Cupper and four-time DP World winner Rafa Cabrera Bello, who will be hoping some home support can inspire him to a good week. Other locals needing to impress are Adri Arnaus and Sebastian Garcia, while two-time winner Eddie Pepperell is teeing it up for the tenth week in a row as he he looks to move up from 122nd.
A scene of amateur success
For over 50 years, Real Club de Sotogrande has hosted the European Nations Cup – Copa Sotogrande, a prestigious tournament for leading amateur golfers. Major champions Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry, Francesco Molinari, Pádraig Harrington and Sergio Garcia are among those to have won the event in southern Spain, in advance of forging successful professional careers. Fellow past winners in action this week include Guido Migliozzi, Todd Clements and Marcel Siem, alongside past runners-up Romain Langasque and Lukas Nemecz. DP World Tour Tournament director José María Zamora also won the title in 1995 and will be overseeing his duties on site for the second year running.
Reaching for the skies on sustainability
This week's venue is increasing its commitment to biodiversity by launching a birdife census. The project, which will last a year, will serve to take measures to promote the conservation or increase the number of birds present in the course. The local cork oak trees have seen some 45 nest boxes installed over the last 12 months and they are already being used by local species such as blue tits and chickadees. Thanks to these efforts, in the first half of 2024 nearly 2,000 specimens of 54 different species belonging to 30 families have been counted. As well as the bird census, the annual beach clean will also take place as Real Club de Golf Sotogrande, the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters and the DP World Tour's Green Drive continue to take steps forward in sustainability.
