It was around the 28th of March when Gabriel Cañizares played what was probably the most important round of golf of his life. It was at the Parador de Golf in Málaga, in the Andalucía Open, European Tour tournament, and the golfer from Málaga, who played with an invitation, started on Sunday in the second-to-last game of the day just two shots away from the leader.
He didn’t manage to take first place which could have quite possibly changed his life, but his performance was impeccable. He finished in sixth place, having played everyday under par and ended up six shots from the champion, Louis Oosthuizen, extraordinary golfer who just four months earlier had won the Open Championship on the epic Old Course in St. Andrews.
This Monday the older brother is back in the grand Cañizares saga at the Parador. It’s the fifth tournament of the Gecko Tour. It’s not the first time he’s been back, but it’s inevitable to recall what happened to him that week every time he sets foot there. He not only fought for the win, but also made one of the most outstanding shots of that season. It was in the second round. Cañi hit an albatross on the par 5 on the 12th hole. Majestic.
Cañizares is, without a doubt, one of the favorites for the the win in the tournament that starts this Monday. The Gecko is dressed to the nines. Almost one hundred golfers will participate over the next two days at the Parador in the hunt and kill for the next victory. It’s a five star scene. Headquarters of the European Tour and with two recent big-name winners, Oosthuizen and Scottish golfer, Paul Lawrie, one of the most favored candidates to be captain of the next Ryder Cup.
Nobody wanted to miss out on this tournament at the Parador. Among the registered players, there are eleven amateurs and three girls, although without a doubt, what stands out the most and what makes the Gecko an incomparable tour is the fact that nineteen different nationalities have signed up in one tournament. An incredible amount which explains the strong appeal that the best winter tour in Europe has not only for English and Spanish golfers, but also for players from all around Europe and more. Here are the details of all the nationalities that will coincide over the next 36 holes at the Parador: England, Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Argentina, Sweden, Slovakia, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Finland, Czech Republic, Canada, Russia, Belgium, Estonia, Switzerland, Hungary and Austria. A melting pot of languages and cultures.
The four champions of the Gecko to date will also be at the Parador, because nobody wants to miss out on the battle for the win in the Order of Merit. The tournament will begin on Monday at 8:30 in the morning. The last game will start at 10:50 am.
