Garcia set to defend in Spain
BY Bruce Young | European PGA Tour | 2009 Castello Masters Costa Azahar | Preview | 20 Oct 2009
The European Tour completes its three tournament swing in southern Europe this week when the CASTELLÓ MASTERS Costa Azahar is played at the Club de Campo del Mediterráneo in Castellón, Spain.
The Volvo World Match Play Championship will also be played in Spain next week but that is of course a field limited to 16 players selected via various criteria and so for the balance of the European Tour players they have the option of playing in Singapore next week.
This week’s event sees Sergio Garcia returning to defend the title he won by three over Peter Hedblom last year in what was an emotional and hard fought victory for the local golfer. Garcia’s father is the club professional at Club de Campo and having spent so much of his life in the area to have won at home in front of so many of his supporters was a particularly satisfying win for him.
Soren Hansen could well give the Spaniard a run for his money. Hansen has played well all season without winning and although his last victory was more than two years ago his consistency should provide an opportunity for him this week.
Angel Cabrera has been hot and cold since his great win at Augusta National and in recent weeks his form seems to be stabilising for the better. He has a start in next week’s World Match Play Championship but could produce a very good lead in tournament.
Justin Rose has started to put together a few good events in recent weeks including when 6th last week in Portugal. He is a class act when at his best and he is getting closer to it now after a few months of indifferent golf.
Peter Hanson appears to be a genuine chance this week. Hanson has played his last few events very well and last year produced a good tournament when he finished 7th.
Robert Allenby is surprisingly in the field although like Cabrera he has a start next week at the Volvo World Match Play and is no doubt in the event to prepare himself for what follows. Allenby’s form has been a real mixture of late but his runner up to Tiger Woods at the Bridgestone highlights just how good he can be.
Other Australasians currently entered for the tournament include Michael Campbell, Wade Ormsby and Matthew Millar.
