Teeing Off Excellence: The Prestigious ACCIONA Open de España

Spain has produced its fair share of legendary golfers, and it’s no wonder the country hosts some highly competitive golf events. Among these, the ACCIONA Open de España stands out as one of the most anticipated tournaments on the calendar. This event consistently draws significant attention from bettors, making it a prime choice for live betting at leading Spanish sports betting sites. But what sets the ACCIONA Open de España apart, and who are the iconic players who have clinched victory in this prestigious competition?

Where does the event take place?

The ACCIONA Open de España is particularly notable for its picturesque setting at the Club de Campo Villa de Madrid. In the Spanish golfing calendar, this event holds a special place as one of the few major tournaments hosted in the country’s capital, typically taking place in October. Furthermore, it ranks among the most financially rewarding events in Spain, with competitors vying for a portion of the impressive $3.25 million prize purse.

Event information

The ACCIONA Open de España has been staged since the inception of the European Tour, making it one of the most prestigious to be staged throughout the season on the DP Tour. Nowadays, the event is staged across 7,112 yards, with the stroke play event being played over a par 71 course.

Early history

The ACCIONA Open de España was first played in 1912, long before the Tour was born in 1972. The first event was staged in 1912, with French star Arnaud Massy landing victory. However, it wasn’t staged annually throughout its early history, as the ACCIONA Open de España wasn’t competed between 1913 and 1915. It was also not competed in each season in 1918, 1920, 1922, and 1924.  

However, Angel de la Torre still dominated on the greens when the event was staged, as he claimed five victories between 1916 and 1925, with his first coming in 1916, as he held off the challenge by Richard Aikten. His fifth and final victory was recorded in 1925. His five victories at the ACCIONA Open de España remain the tournament record, with two players tied on four wins at the Madrid event.

Who organises the event?

The event is organised by the Royal Spanish Golf Federation. However, this was slightly changed ahead of the 2019 event, as it was announced that the organisation for the event would also be overseen by the European Tour and the Madrid Trophy Promotion.

The decision to share responsibilities also led to the announcement that the ACCIONA Open de España would remain on the calendar for the next five years. The MTP has a hold over several prestigious sporting events in the region, as they also organise the annual Mutua Madrid Open on the tennis schedule.

Most successful players

As mentioned previously, Angel de la Torre is the most successful player in the history of the ACCIONA Open de España, as the Spanish star landed five victories between 1916 and 1925. However, previous course experience is a huge benefit when finding the event winner, as there have been 17 repeat winners at the Spanish event. The two second-most successful players in the event are Mariano Provencio and Gabriel Gonzalez, who have both won on four occasions.

The latter recorded a dominant winning sequence in Madrid between 1932 and 1942. A considerable number of players rank third on the all-time list, with seven having won the competition on three occasions. Those include inaugural winner Arnaud Massy and legendary Spanish golfers such as Seve Ballesteros, Sebastian Miguel, and Jon Rahm.

Seven players are tied with two victories, including Bernhard Langer, Mark James, and Angel Miguel. However, the most sought-after honour is held by Rahm, who has won the event on three occasions since 2018. Rahm holds the record for best scores, as he finished 25-under with an aggregate score of 259 when landing victory for the third time in 2022 by six shots from Matthieu Pavon.

Conclusion

The ACCIONA Open de España is one of the standout events on the golfing calendar that all fans look forward to annually. It is one of the most prestigious competitions on the European Tour and offers one of the biggest purses available to European players. This year’s event will be staged in October, with Rahm likely to be once again the leading contenders to land glory.