As Jon Rahm looks to surpass Seve Ballesteros’ haul of three titles at this week’s acciona Open de España presented by Madrid, we look back at the late, great Spaniard’s 50th and final victory on the DP World Tour.
Spain’s national open was first played in 1912 prior to the formation of the European Tour group and was the first event played when the European Tour (now DP World Tour) came into existence on April 12, 1972.
Antonio Garrido lifted the trophy at the inaugural event which ushered in a new era for European golf and many great Spaniards have since followed him into the winner’s circle.
No player, however, has done it more times than Ballesteros and here, as we return to Club de Campo Villa de Madrid, we recall his famous final victory in 1995.
Seve's standing in the game had long since been assured, with five Major Championships and a style that transfixed and entertained, but nobody knew when the event started that he was four days away from lifting his final individual DP World Tour trophy.
The five-time Major champion was 38 years old and opened with a two under par 70, placing him four shots behind leader Peter Mitchell as the Englishman began the week with a 66.
Ryder Cup great Ballesteros was without a win since his German Masters victory a year earlier and he stayed in touch with the leaders following the conclusion of the second round, carding a five under par 67 to remain four back.
Heralded as a genius and a trailblazer, Ballesteros shot six under par to close the gap on new leader Gordon Brand Jnr to just one shot after the third round.
But with a 50th DP World Tour title in his sights, the Spaniard looked as though he could be forced to wait for his milestone success after making three bogeys in the first three holes of his final round.
“The ball seemed to have a will of its own,” he was quoted as saying of his poor start.
Brand Jnr, the leader, made back-to-back bogeys at the fourth and fifth holes but still held onto the lead at 12 under par with Ballesteros and fellow Spaniards Jose Rivero and Ignacio Garrido at 11 under.
As four players jostled for position at the top of the leaderboard, Rivero and Garrido stole a march as the former holed a birdie at the 12th for the outright lead while Garrido carded two birdies and a bogey on the home stretch.
With holes running out, Ballesteros produced a big finish with birdies at the 14th, 15th and 18th to beat Rivero and Garrido by two strokes to secure his final victory and third in his home open.
