• Niclas Fasth of Sweden claimed the first of his two European titles in 2006 in this event, defeating John Bickerton at the fourth extra play-off hole. His other victory was also on Spanish soil at the Mallorca Classic. Fasth’s triumph was the fifth by a Swedish player in the Open de España. The previous four were: Joakim Haeggman (1993), Jarmo Sandelin (1999), Robert Karlsson (2001) and Peter Hanson (2005). Along with the Madeira Islands Open BPI, Spain’s National Championship has been Sweden’s most successful events – both with five.
• Sweden are going for their third consecutive Spanish Open title. Never before has The European Tour witnessed three wins in a row in the same tournament by three different Swedish players. (The Smurfit Kappa European Open, between 1996-98 is the only time that country have recorded three successive wins in the same event in European Tour history, by Per-Ulrik Johansson in 1996-97 and Mathias Grönberg in 1998).
• The 2003 Open de España two pieces of history were established. Firstly, in a week of low scoring, the 36 hole cut came at 138 (-6). The lowest mark in Tour history. The second historical landmark came when the most players were tied for the lead going into the final round of an event – six – all on 197 (-19). The players were: Paul Casey, Kenneth Ferrie (eventual winner), Søren Hansen, Simon Khan, Santiago Luna and Spanish amateur Pablo Martin.
