Estrella Damm NA Andalucia Masters 2024: Course and current form stats

• Sotogrande laid out within yards of Mediterranean

• Puig 22/123.00 ready to claim maiden DP World Tour title

• Norgaard Moller 22/123.00 can lead Danish challenge

Tournament and Course Notes

• The golfers have travelled to southern Spain, as the DP World Tour tees up in mainland Europe for the 12th and final time this year. Venue for this week's tournament is Real Club de Golf Sotogrande, located in the municipality of San Roque and the province of Cadiz;

• This will be the second time that the course has hosted the Andalucía Masters, having also staged the event in 2023 after the previous host Valderrama jumped ship to join the Saudi-backed LIV Tour;

• Sotogrande, which opened in 1964, has a rich history all of its own. Located 10 miles north of Gibraltar, it was the first Robert Trent Jones course to be designed in Continental Europe. Two years later this resort course hosted its first Spanish Open and has been a regular venue for the European Tour's end of season Qualifying School;

• Between August 2011 and July 2016, Real Club de Golf Sotogrande underwent a thorough restoration of its playing conditions. During this extensive upgrade, bunkers and fairway were modernised, while putting surfaces were reduced to their original size. Over the years, the greens had been extended by more than 40%;

• This project involved the construction of an extensive drainage network, while fairways were re-turfed with 419 Bermuda grass. Greenside bunkers are plentiful, and putting surfaces are undulating. Water comes into play on seven holes, while the first tee at this spectacular venue is situated within 160 yards of the Mediterranean.

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Current Form

Led by 'top seed' Jon Rahm 11/43.75, Spain's LIV contingent could be a major factor in this week's tournament.

David Puig 22/123.00 has performed well lately during his excursions on the DP World Tour, finishing third in the Spanish Open and fourth at St Andrews.

The highly-regarded 22-year-old Spaniard seems ready to challenge for his maiden Tour title, which might have happened earlier had he not joined LIV. He's already a champion on the Asian Tour.

And the Danes continue to perform well at DP World Tour level.

Thorbjorn Olesen 20/121.00, Niklas Norgaard Moller 22/123.00 and Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen 33/134.00 are all in good form.

Norgaard Moller has really enjoyed what Americans call a 'breakout year.'

He secured his maiden DP World Tour victory at the start of September, has maintained solid form since then, and now looks well-placed to claim a spot on next year's PGA Tour.

He's a career-high No 94 in the world, having been outside the top 300 in mid-March.

One other Dane, Jeff Winther 70/171.00, closed 66-64 in Paris over the weekend to finish in a tie-for-second. The experienced Winther also finished sixth at Sotogrande last year.

And don't forget the Hojgaards - Nicolai 35/136.00 and Rasmus 16/117.00 - who both finished top-20 in France on Sunday. Just being top Dane is a major battle in itself nowadays!

Two other names to ponder are Spaniard Jorge Campillo 50/151.00 and Englishman Matthew Jordan 45/146.00.

The 38-year-old Campillo has played steadily in recent weeks, as he decides to concentrate on Europe following one season on the PGA Tour.

He was also a top-20 finisher at Sotogrande last year, along with Jordan who tied-13th.

Jordan looks well placed to qualify for the end of season finale in Dubai, and heads to Spain on the back of consecutive top-10s in Scotland and France, which leaves him at a career-high No 141 in the World Ranking.

Both Campillo and Jordan are potential each-way options.

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Note: List Contains Leading Reserves

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