Spanish dominance continues on lucrative tours
Spain’s Rafa Cabrera-Bello seized his third European Tour title at the weekend with victory in the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open (13-16 July) after a one-hole play-off at the Dundonald Links in Troon, Ayrshire. His win comes hot on the heels of fellow countryman Jon Rahm, winner of the Irish Open the previous week, and brings this season’s Spanish victories to a total of five, so far: Sergio Garcia (Masters and Omega Dubai Desert Classic), Alvaro Quiros (Rocco Forte Open in Sicily).
Callum Shinkwin had looked destined to win the Scottish Open, the third tournament in the Tour’s lucrative Rolex series, until a closing-bogey, his only dropped shot on Sunday, saw the 24-year old Englishman finish on 275 (13-under par). Playing in front of him, Cabrera-Bello had also posted a three-ahead-of-the-field, 275 after shooting a course record of 64. The 2016 Ryder Cup debutant made birdie down the last to put pressure on the Englishman.
Shinkwin, in search of his first win on Tour, had looked to be holding his nerve well. Until the last, that is. All week he had had an impressive record at the 586-yard, par five 18th hole at Dundonald – opening with an eagle on Thursday, which he followed-up with a birdie and then par. A poor chip at the last on Sunday left his par-putt short of the hole. And, as if it were his destiny, he finished-off his final hole sequence with a bogey. Oh, what would the junior boxer have given for another eagle – indeed, anything but a bogey would have been good enough to scoop the title!
After Shinkwin’s bogey-blunder, the Spaniard prepared himself for a play-off. Luckily for Cabrera-Bello, the play-off hole had long been decided before the tournament began. Scorecards checked and signed, the players gathered their emotions before going head-to-head down the 18th once again. This time, Shinkwin went one better: par. The 33-year old Spaniard, however, made another birdie to claim his first title on the European Tour since his victory in the Omega Dubai Desert Classic of 2012.
Cabrera-Bello’s Scottish Open triumph and 1,019,896 euro prize cheque sees him soar to fourth position in the Race to Dubai with season’s earnings totalling 1,665,920 euros. Not only that, his Official World Golf Ranking is now an impressive 17th.
Many, many congratulations Rafa!
And good luck at The Open at Royal Birkdale this week …
Wendy Hoad
Nice to know about Rafa …
Scot stats Rafa needed just 12-one putts on Sunday.
Sunday best His 8-under par closing 64 was the lowest score of the week.
Rafa’s ‘go-low’ Sundays He made his breakthrough on the European Tour in 2009, thanks to a stunning final round of 60 in the Austrian Golf Open.
Surf or turf When he’s not burning-up the golf course, Rafa loves to surf and enjoy the waves near his home in Bali where he lives with his Swedish fiancée, Sofia.
Not so nice to know …
The expensive bogey at the final hole (and then losing the play-off) ended up costing Callum Shinkwin a whopping 339,968 euros. Ouch! However …
Happy ending! Shinkwin’s Scottish Open result has earned him a place in the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale (20-23 July).
PICTURED: Rafa Cabrera-Bello during his 2016 Ryder Cup debut.