The following attended the Tour:
Mark Whittaker (Tour Host) Matthew Camacho
Hugh Jackson James Faulkner
Christian Minchella Patrick Faulkner
Chris Healy Luca Gerolla
Simon Hardy Edward Robinson
Tom Davies George Hattrell
The Hewitt warm-up this year consisted of 4 days of golf (90 holes in total) including 3 rounds of 18 holes as singles stableford scratch as the main competition. Each touring member was allocated appropriate duties on tour ranging from head chef, doctor, media consultant to even our own Tour bookie!
Day one provided 18 holes as non-competition at Rio Real Golf Club where the sun made a welcome appearance!
Day two was the first day of the 18 hole competition at San Roque Golf Club and provided a very stern test of golf on some exceptionally quick greens. We were also suitably dressed in the latest OA fashion golf attire as shown in the photograph below:
Left to right: Luca Gerolla, Patrick Faulkner, George Hattrell, Chris Healy, Matthew Camacho, Mark Whittaker, Simon Hardy, Tom Davies, Christian Minchella, Ed Robinson, James Faulkner, Hugh Jackson
The following scratch stableford scores were recorded:
C Healy 16
S Hardy 16
E Robinson 17
G Hattrell 23
H Jackson 25
M Camacho 25
C Minchella 25
L Gerolla 27
M Whittaker 28
T Davies 28
J Faulkner 30
Upon completion of play the hotly contested annual putting competition and customary San Miguels began with names being randomly pulled out of a hat. Due to play being suspended by light, we had to conclude the final on Sunday at Los Naranjos where tour doctor Chris Healy would eventually prevail victorious and added another trophy to his fine collection.
Tour doctor, winner of the putting competition and wooden spoon holder celebrating his birthday!
Day 3 provided an even sterner test at Marbella Golf and Country Club in what was described by tour bookie as “today felt like 140 miles per hour wind, everything elevated with barrenquilla left and right of fairways. Driving rain for most of the day, not most golfers’ ideal habitat”
The following accumulative stableford scores after two rounds were recorded:
C Healy 27
E Robinson 28
P Faulkner 29
S Hardy 34
C Minchella 39
G Hattrell 39
H Jackson 44
J Faulkner 48
L Gerolla 48
M Camacho 49
T Davies 51
M Whittaker 54
That evening the tour enjoyed a well deserved sumptuous dinner in the local and picturesque town of BenaHavis!
The final round was to be held at our favourite local course Los Naranjos which after playing each year for the last 4 years is regarded as home and familiar territory. The order of play was in reverse order with leaders going out last, both the wooden spoon and overall winner trophies were being hotly contested! At the top of the leaderboard the host had to hold off a late surge from the Italian duo of Camacho and Gerolla whilst Chris Healy had to settle for the wooden spoon after a strong late showing of form by tour debutant Ed Robinson. Upon completion of play, in reverse order the following final accumulative scores were recorded:
C Healy 44 points
P Faulkner 47 points
E Robinson 52 points
G Hattrell 61 points
S Hardy 63 points
H Jackson 69 points
C Minchella 71 points
J Faulkner 73 points
T Davies 79 points
L Gerolla 81 points
M Camacho 83 points
M Whittaker 85 points
And so came to an end another Spanish tour, hugely successful in providing a strong test of golf in tough conditions on quality courses, great camaraderie and most importantly building a wonderful team spirit….perfect preparation for the Hewitt in just 2 weeks` time.
Tour Host (J86)