As the DP World Tour celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2022, we look back at one of the standout moments in its history which saw Bernhard Langer and Colin Montgomerie share the Volvo Masters Andalucía title in 2002.
Real Club Valderrama – host of the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters - was founded in 1985 and debuted as a Tour venue three years later.
The season-ending Volvo Masters, since replaced by the DP World Tour Championship, was staged on 16 occasions between 1988-2008.
In recent years, Valderrama has hosted seven editions of the Andalucía Masters, with U.S. Open Champion Matt Fitzpatrick defending his title in southern Spain this week.
Valderrama remains to this day most synonymous with Europe’s memorable 14½-13½ victory against the USA at the 32nd Ryder Cup in 1997. That was the first time the biennial event had been held outside either the United States or United Kingdom.
Five years later, Langer and Montgomerie, team-mates for Europe under Captain Seve Ballesteros in Spain, were declared joint winners of the Volvo Masters.
It was only the second time a DP World Tour tournament had been tied and the other occasion also involved Langer.
The 1986 Trophée Lancôme was tied by the German and Spain’s late, great Ballesteros when the players could not be separated after six extra holes in France.
Both Langer and Montgomerie arrived at Valderrama in 1992 without a win on the DP World Tour in over a year.
Heading into the final round, Montgomerie trailed 54-hole leader Bradley Dredge by one shot, with Langer a further three adrift.
Scores of 67 for Langer and 70 for Montgomerie saw the duo finish the day tied at three under par, two clear of Welshman Dredge who was the only other player in the field to finish under par.
The first extra hole - the ninth - was halved in par fours after Langer two putted and Montgomerie chipped close from behind the green.
At the tenth, Montgomerie missed a birdie putt from around ten feet to wrap up victory as both players then moved to the 18th in the gathering darkness.
However, after discussions between the players and Tour officials, Langer and Montgomerie shook hands after two holes of the play-off had failed to separate them.
The players could have returned the following morning to conclude the play-off but quickly accepted the offer by Ken Schofield, the Tour’s then-Executive Director, to share the spoils.
The decision saw Langer claim his 42nd Tour title and Montgomerie his 27th.
Langer said: “There was no way we could continue. It was really getting ridiculous.
“There were two options – come back in the morning, which would have provided an anti-climax to this great championship or share the victory as I did with Seve all those years ago.
“I think we both agreed it was the appropriate thing to do.”
Montgomerie added: “There was no way we could play. When Ken Schofield came on the radio with that suggestion, Bernhard very quickly took his hat off and I took mine off and we shook hands.
“I agree that it was very appropriate that we did share this wonderful trophy.”
Earlier that day, South Africa’s Retief Goosen was crowned Europe’s Number One for a second year in a row as he finished ahead of Pádraig Harrington, his only rival for the honour.
