Following back-to-back European Tour victories for Tyrell Hatton, the Race to Dubai was seriously heating up as the players prepared for the Andalucia Valderrama Masters. Tommy Fleetwood took the Race to Dubai lead with his Open de France win back in June, and hasn’t threatened to give it up since. But Sergio Garcia saw his chance and took in with great aplomb as he sailed to victory at his home club: Real Club Valderrama. The Spandiard, who won the last edition of the tournament in 2011 (prior to a five-year break) and simply loves playing in his homeland, closed the gap on Fleetwood in the Race to Dubai leaderboard with just four events left to play.

Garcia edged out Dutchman Joost Luiten by a single stroke, whilst England’s Daniel Brooks deservedly took third spot. Garcia was made to dig deep on the final day to go -12 for the tournament, and even reverted to putting with his 3-wood (a “trick” he learned after smashing his putter at the PGA Tour’s Dell Technologies Championship last month) on the ninth hole. It worked a charm and the Masters champion made it a three-win European Tour season for the first time in his career. This feat comes despite only playing 12 European Tour events, compared to Tommy Fleetwood’s 20. Fleetwood was absent for last week’s event, meaning he has some work to do if he is to maintain top spot and claim the European No. 1 title at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai next month.

On the topic of English success, Daniel Brooks’ top-three finish proved a critical one as it means he will retain his Tour card. He may have slipped away from the top two, ultimately finishing five strokes off Garcia despite levelling up on the second hole of the final round, but Brooks will be delighted nonetheless.

A big, if unsurprising, win for Garcia not only caps of the greatest season of his career, but also tees up (pun intended) a phenomenal final month of the European Tour season.

Written by Joe Carabini

joe.carabini@foremostgolf.com