The Belgian Kristof Ulenaers has triumphed in the Challenge of Cu00e1diz held at the Iberostar Real Club de Golf Novo Sancti Petri; despite experiencing the most complicated round of the week, he has not relinquished the lead at any time. The income with which he went out to dispute the final day has been enough to overcome the difficulties he has faced today by the field and achieve victory in his first tournament on the Challenge Tour, which acceded by invitation. Great performance of Santiago Tarru00f3n and Alfredo Garcu00eda Heredia who finished in 3rd and 4th position and climb in the ranking.
The Belgian went into the final day of the Challenge of Cu00e1diz with a 7-stroke lead, but in golf it is well known that one cannot be trusted. And he did not. Saliu00f3 with the same nerves of the previous three days, but with worse results. Bogey on the 1st, but recovered with eagle on the 2nd. From ahu00ed on he hooked a bad streak that cost him two bogeys and a triple bogey until the 11th hole, when his rivals were approaching but from ahu00ed on he reacted, with the help of his caddie and managed to finish with three birdies for 72 strokes and a total of 19 under par leaving Hurly Long with the desire to four strokes.
Victory is life-changing for Ulenaers: u201cI came to this tournament with the idea of measuring myself against great players, gain experience, try to make rounds under par and little by little, reach the Challenge Tour. But things have been going well and winning today in Cu00e1diz changes my life, I still can’t believe what I have achieved. I went out very nervous and I would have liked to have enjoyed myself more on the course, but it was a really tough round, both physically and mentally. In the worst moments I tried to be positive, but my body wasn’t working, I was shaking. My caddie, who is a friend from university who lives in Marbella, Zak Karkaletsos, has helped me a lot to calm down and reset. The arrival at the 18th was wonderful, it was a very special moment. Clearly today’s round has made me learn a lot, today I am a much stronger player than yesterday. u201d.
With this victory Kristof Ulenaers, only 22 years old, enters category 1 of the Challenge Tour so he can now play the full season and is currently 12th in the Road to Mallorca.
Magnu00edfica comeback of the Spaniards Santiago Tarru00edo, member of the ProSpain Team who won last week the Challenge of the Czech Republic, and Alfredo Garcu00eda Heredia who has returned to make top 5 in the Challenge of Cu00e1diz.
Santiago Tarru00f3n has accused during the week the fatigue of eight weeks in a row in competition and a hard-fought victory in play-off, but he is a fighter and today he has shown it again. He started the round with eagle on hole 2 u201cjuguu00e9a good Driver and a cut 5 wood, and I have putted a great putt of 10 meters with cau00eddau201d, and despite the bogey on 3 maintained the good game that last week led him to victory, making 7 birdies to sign the best round of the du00eda, 65 strokes for a total of 12 under par. u201c I played very well, like yesterday, this time the gasoline has held a little more despite what happened to us on the 16th hole which was quite distressing. I hit the tree and played another provisional, and we found the first one next to the tree. Another of my party had lost two balls. We were helping him to look for the ball, when Zamora arrived and found another dead ball but it was neither the one he was playing nor the provisional one. It was a very confusing moment; what had happened is that Noe, my girlfriend, was carrying it in her bib and she dropped it while we were looking for Johannessen’s ball, the truth is that we had a bad time and I haven’t done much since then. Today I played very well at the beginning, but in the end I have been holding. I feel tired of mind and body, but I’ve gone from less to mu00e1s throughout the tournament. The first du00eda was burst, it was impossible, I could not with my soul, I was playing two clubs mu00e1s, but it is normal after 8 weeks playing all over the world, pau00edses very hot, very fru00edou2026 In the end I am happy with the tournament, and I’m ready for the Challenge de Espau00f1a u201d. With this third place the Galician is placed in 2nd position in the Challenge Tour Ranking.
In fourth position was the Asturian Alfredo Garcu00f3n Heredia with which he climbs to 14u00ba place in the ranking at the end of the tournament with 5 birdies and a bobgey, 68 strokes for 11 under: u201cu00f3n.Today we got rid of the double bogey, I’m going to celebrate this right now! I played very well like the rest of the du00edas but I didn’t have my best week on the green, so I couldn’t get a better result. I am tired but looking forward to start theChallengede Espau00f1a. u201d.
The players of the Challenge de Cu00e1diz will have a two-day rest and on Tuesday the competition will begin in the Challenge de Espau00f1a, which will end on Friday, at the same course, the Iberostar Real Club de Golf Novo Sancti Petri.
The Challenge of Cu00e1diz has been possible thanks to the sponsorship of RealFederaciu00f3n Espau00f1olau00a0deu00a0Golf and the Real Federaciu00f3n Andaluza de Golf, and with the collaboration of the Diputaciu00f3n de Cu00e1diz, the Patronato Provincial de Turismo de Cu00e1diz, the City Council of Chiclana, the Consejo Superior de Deportes, Loteru00edas y Apuestas del Estado, EDP Solar, Allianz, AON, Halcu00f3n Viajes, Kyocerau00a0(official printing services), u00a0Iberostaru00a0(Official Hotel), Solu00e1n de Cabras and Hospital Viamed Novo Sancti Petri. The organizer is u00a0JGolf. The Challenge of Cu00e1diz supports the celebration of the Solheim Cup 2023.u00a0
Photo of winner Kristof Ulenaers by GOLF CIRCUS and Santiago Tarru00edo by Getty Images.
