Spanish golf is experiencing decisive weeks in the calendar of a season that is gradually coming to an end. Amid comings and goings, the next 23rd of September sees the qualifying round for the Open de España taking place at the Centro Nacional de Golf, which this year will be played from the 9th to the 12th of October. So far, everything is normal. The complication arises for some golfers because during the dates of the Open de España, the penultimate event of the Alps Tour is being played, the circuit that awards five coveted promotion spots to the HotelPlanner Tour and marks the immediate future of the players.
The situation places several of the best Spanish players on the Alps in a dilemma: to play the qualifying round of the Open de España and possibly qualify for the most important tournament in our country, which is a top-level showcase alongside international stars, or to focus on securing vital points in the Alps Tour ranking. The satellite circuit that plays the penultimate event of the year that same week in Parma.
Amid the debate, the one who has resolved his doubts is Javier Barcos, the undisputed leader of the circuit with 29,042 points and a cushion of 8,700 over the sixth place. The Navarrese is in a privileged position and can afford to take risks. “I am going to play the qualifying round and, if I secure one of the two spots, I will compete in the Open de España. A week ago, I wasn’t so sure, but I have maintained the lead,” he confirms. For Barcos, the opportunity to play in a DP World Tour tournament is too attractive to pass up. His cushion of points in the Alps allows him to look at the ranking more calmly and aim higher.
The most delicate case is that of Javier Calles, currently fifth in the Order of Merit with 20,388 points, a position that grants the last direct card for the HotelPlanner Tour. Calles barely has an advantage of one hundred points over Álvaro Hernández Cabezuela (20,248), who is in sixth place, making the last two events true finals.
“I am going to play the qualifying round of the Open de España, but if I pass it, I don’t know what I will do. I will decide at the last moment,” he confesses. The dilemma is evident: if he competes in the Open, he could lose his privileged position in the Alps, but if he declines, he would be missing the opportunity to compete against the elite at the Club de Campo Villa de Madrid. A difficult decision that could shape the course of his career.
Four other Spaniards within the top 20 of the ranking have already resolved the dilemma in a clear direction: they will not play the qualifying round of the Open de España. They are Álvaro Hernández Cabezuela (6th), Jorge Maicas (8th), Asier Aguirre (10th), and Mario Galiano (20th).
For all of them, the primary objective is to make the most of the last two events of the Alps Tour and climb in the standings. The Open de España is a dream, but right now the Challenge Tour is the realistic and necessary destination to consolidate their careers. Moreover, many already have in mind the various qualifying schools that will be held after the end of the season.
“I prefer to focus on the Alps and not get distracted. There will be time to fight for big tournaments,” comments Maicas. A sentiment shared by Aguirre and Galiano, who see the access circuit as a more tangible opportunity than a single tournament in the DP World Tour.
The coincidence of dates presents an uncomfortable scenario, where each player must assess what weighs more: the experience of playing an Open de España or the points that could decide a category promotion.
Calles’ case exemplifies the conflict better than any other: losing the Alps card by playing the Open could leave him without real options in 2025, while competing in the tournament in Madrid would give him visibility, but without guarantees of continuity.
