The Málaga course at the Atalaya Golf Club, in Benahavís, will host the sixth tournament of the Gecko Tour this Thursday and Friday. Close to ninety players will be on a quest for the next victory in the best winter tour in Europe. Weeks have gone by and tournaments have passed and, for the moment, nobody has been able to take the throne back, to repeat the victory, a clear demonstration of the high level of competition in the tour.
Four of the five players who have made it to the winner’s circle in the Gecko, all of whom by the way had never won before in this tour, will be present at Atalaya. However, there are more of whom, logically, will attempt not to let the winners repeat history. Among them, one of the names that stands out is Noemí Jiménez. The sensational golfer born and raised in Málaga, runner-up in the European amateur, with the Ladies European Tour card in hand, already has some experience with the Gecko Tour and every time she plays she is in the fight for the win. And well-deserved at that. She has played in five tournaments in the Costa del Sol tour thus far and has never gone below fourth place. In reality, all she has left to do is win.
The Atalaya tournament will be the perfect trial run before the grand finale of the Ladies European Tour next week in Dubai, and where the Spanish golfer from Guadalmina will attempt to add the golden broach to her first season as a professional golfer. It was a tough, difficult year, but Noemí was able to push through and, above all, has learned some very valuable lessons which will serve for next season.
Together with Noemí Jiménez, another young rising star from Andalucía who is on the quest for his first win as a professional golfer is Mario Galiano. One year ago, the talented golfer from Guadiaro, who made it all the way to Number 3 in the world, won the Puerta Hierro National Cup, setting a record that will be hard to top. Now he’s starting a new life as a professional with the goal of taking home the win as soon as possible.
Apart from Noemí Jiménez, the Atalaya Gecko will host other women’s golfers from the Ladies European Tour as well. Natalia Escuriola is, coincidentally, Mario Galiano’s partner. The golfer from Castellón did not have a good season in the European Tour, although there is still the tournament in Dubai left to play in attempts to maintain the card and avoid the Qualifying School. Thus it’s important to note that there will be five golfers fighting for the win.
And let’s not forget about the powerful foreign ammunition the Gecko has. Names to follow this week: Sam Connor, winner at the Parador two days ago, Fredrik From, Jimmy Mullen, Marcus Svensson, James Maw, Benedict Staben and Max Walz are among the favorites for the win.
