Ranking
2010-02-26 17:58:05
Ricardo Santos fires a 65 and course record to win Castro Marim IGT Classic.
Portugal's Challenge Tour representative, Ricardo Santos today won his 2nd IGT title after shooting a blistering new course record of 65 (-7) round the Grouse and Guadiana loops of the Castro Marim Golf and Country Club.
His total of 202, 14 under par, also sets a new IGT record in more ways than one – largest winning margin of 10 strokes, lowest aggregate total, most under par in a single event and the lowest single round on the IGT! Ricardo who had been struggling of late with a baulky putter finally got that department going for 3 consecutive rounds and duly blew away all the opposition. On a drizzly day with little wind and warm temperatures, he carded 9 birdies and 2 bogeys taking full advantage of his long and accurate ball striking and softer greens.
After the overnight storm, the Castro Marim golf course was in very good condition considering the amount of rain over the last couple of days and months, with the putting surfaces especially, being in great shape. Ricardo took full advantage of these conditions and continued playing the sort of golf that we know he is capable of, hardly missing a fairway round this tight and penal track.
Already holding a big lead he proceeded to close the deal on everybody by birdieing the tough opening hole and then the par 3 2nd hole. After a par on the 3rd hole, he ripped 2 great drives over 300 yards at the following two par 5's, getting home with an iron at the 4th and a utility club at the next. Two easy 2 putt birdies moved him 4 under for the round and out of sight, and after a bogey at the 7th, he parred both 8 and 9 to post -3 to the turn. He birdied the 10th after another great drive down this very tight par 4, bogeyed the winding uphill par 5 12th, then closed out the formality by notching another 4 birdies at holes 13, 14, 17 and 18 en route to 4 under for the back side, and a new course record of 65.
Spain's Miguel Cantero played some solid golf to record a fine 68 and confirm his second 2nd place finish in 2 events of the IGT. As the Valencia based player said “It was tough to put any pressure on Ricardo because he just drove the ball so straight and long for all 3 days, missing hardly no fairways, and making some putts, which means that he is going to go low. A big mistake at the 14th yesterday cost me any chance I had, but it was nice to watch and try and match him. I enjoyed the event, the camaraderie, the golf course held up very well, but after my next event in Spain I will come back for the event at Esuri to try and go one better next time. Hopefully more guys will come down, because the events are well run and great for getting competition in.”
Ricardo's win takes his tally to 2 wins on the IGT this season, matching the number of wins by Alberto Dóniga Lara and António Sobrinho, but his more consistent higher finishes now move him well clear at the top of the IGT Ranking and nearer the bonus cash prize for the leading player come December time.
As has long been the case with Ricardo, once he gets into a positive frame of mind, knocks a few putts in and accepts that in tournament golf not all the breaks go your way, he really has the game to move to a much higher level, and hopefully the IGT can help in some way in him achieving that!
The Castro Marim IGT Classic closes tomorrow with the pro am in a fun scramble format, with lunch and prize giving afterwards, before moving next month to the nearby Esuri Golf Course across the Guadiana River in Spain.
His total of 202, 14 under par, also sets a new IGT record in more ways than one – largest winning margin of 10 strokes, lowest aggregate total, most under par in a single event and the lowest single round on the IGT! Ricardo who had been struggling of late with a baulky putter finally got that department going for 3 consecutive rounds and duly blew away all the opposition. On a drizzly day with little wind and warm temperatures, he carded 9 birdies and 2 bogeys taking full advantage of his long and accurate ball striking and softer greens.
After the overnight storm, the Castro Marim golf course was in very good condition considering the amount of rain over the last couple of days and months, with the putting surfaces especially, being in great shape. Ricardo took full advantage of these conditions and continued playing the sort of golf that we know he is capable of, hardly missing a fairway round this tight and penal track.
Already holding a big lead he proceeded to close the deal on everybody by birdieing the tough opening hole and then the par 3 2nd hole. After a par on the 3rd hole, he ripped 2 great drives over 300 yards at the following two par 5's, getting home with an iron at the 4th and a utility club at the next. Two easy 2 putt birdies moved him 4 under for the round and out of sight, and after a bogey at the 7th, he parred both 8 and 9 to post -3 to the turn. He birdied the 10th after another great drive down this very tight par 4, bogeyed the winding uphill par 5 12th, then closed out the formality by notching another 4 birdies at holes 13, 14, 17 and 18 en route to 4 under for the back side, and a new course record of 65.
Spain's Miguel Cantero played some solid golf to record a fine 68 and confirm his second 2nd place finish in 2 events of the IGT. As the Valencia based player said “It was tough to put any pressure on Ricardo because he just drove the ball so straight and long for all 3 days, missing hardly no fairways, and making some putts, which means that he is going to go low. A big mistake at the 14th yesterday cost me any chance I had, but it was nice to watch and try and match him. I enjoyed the event, the camaraderie, the golf course held up very well, but after my next event in Spain I will come back for the event at Esuri to try and go one better next time. Hopefully more guys will come down, because the events are well run and great for getting competition in.”
Ricardo's win takes his tally to 2 wins on the IGT this season, matching the number of wins by Alberto Dóniga Lara and António Sobrinho, but his more consistent higher finishes now move him well clear at the top of the IGT Ranking and nearer the bonus cash prize for the leading player come December time.
As has long been the case with Ricardo, once he gets into a positive frame of mind, knocks a few putts in and accepts that in tournament golf not all the breaks go your way, he really has the game to move to a much higher level, and hopefully the IGT can help in some way in him achieving that!
The Castro Marim IGT Classic closes tomorrow with the pro am in a fun scramble format, with lunch and prize giving afterwards, before moving next month to the nearby Esuri Golf Course across the Guadiana River in Spain.
