Andy DevaneyMikael Lundberg’s absence leaves Stephen Gallacher with an opportunity to take over at the top, while Jamie Donaldson arrives at the European Legends Cup only two points behind the Scot.
The European Legends Cup has acquired an extra layer of consequence before anyone hits a shot at Fontanals Golf.
Mikael Lundberg leads the Road to Cambodia Order of Merit with 2,438 points after claiming his maiden seniors victory at the Staysure English Legends at Chart Hills. He will not, however, be in the field in Spain.
That leaves Stephen Gallacher 104 points behind him and with a straightforward opportunity: make enough ground at Fontanals and the Scot can leave the Pyrenees on top of the standings.
There is very little breathing room behind him, either. Jamie Donaldson is just two points further back.
Lundberg’s absence opens the door for Gallacher
Gallacher arrives in Spain on 2,334 points, with five top-ten finishes already on his record this season.
The numbers make Lundberg’s absence particularly significant. Only 106 points separate first from third, meaning a standings race that was already tight now has its leader watching from elsewhere while two of his closest challengers tee it up in the same tournament.
Gallacher also brings a familiar Ryder Cup pedigree. He was part of Paul McGinley’s winning European side in 2014, although he is not the only member of that Gleneagles team with an immediate interest in this week’s leaderboard.
Donaldson sits on 2,332 points.
The Welshman supplied the point that secured Europe’s Ryder Cup victory at Gleneagles 12 years ago. This week, the margin that matters is considerably smaller: two points separate him from Gallacher in the season-long race.
For a tournament entering only its third edition, that gives the European Legends Cup a useful edge. The title in Spain matters in its own right; the movement behind it could matter well beyond Sunday.
Major winners add weight to the field
The contest for the Order of Merit lead is the clearest thread running through the week, but Fontanals is hardly short of recognised names.
Michael Campbell, winner of the 2005 U.S. Open, and 1999 Open Champion Paul Lawrie are both in the field, bringing two Major champions to La Cerdanya.
Adilson da Silva also returns to an event in which he has been conspicuously comfortable.
He won the inaugural European Legends Cup before finishing runner-up to Scott Hend last year at Basozabal, the home course of tournament host José María Olazábal.
“I enjoy going back to Spain – they’ve got beautiful golf courses there,” said da Silva.
“When you feel like you’ve won there before, you go with a nice, strong, positive frame of mind. So I’m looking forward to going back and hopefully contending.”
Da Silva believes his game is coming back
This will be da Silva’s first competitive appearance at Fontanals, so his record in the event does not come with the advantage of established course knowledge.
What he does bring is a little more confidence in his own game after an uneven start to the season.
“It’s been very much up and down from the beginning of the season up to now, and then last week I managed to get back to what I was a couple of years ago, and it feels so good.
“I think it’s a combination of concentration, really – getting your mind in the right place – and then the putting also plays such a big part.
“I’ve been working very hard on my game. It slowly feels like everything is coming together, and I think it’s a good time of year to start playing well. We’ve still got a few events left, so I’m feeling good.”
For a player who has finished first and second in the two previous editions, an improvement in form is well timed.
Spain helps, too.
“I haven’t been there, but I believe it’s a wonderful course and I can’t wait to get there. In Spain, the courses are generally excellent, and I think fair golf courses too.
“It reminds me a bit of back home in Brazil – Spain is very similar. I’ve always enjoyed going to Spain, and I think the people there are so nice, so welcoming. It’s a wonderful place, and I feel right at home.”
Fontanals gives the tournament a new stage
The third European Legends Cup also brings its third chapter to a new venue.
Fontanals Golf sits 1,059 metres above sea level in La Cerdanya, surrounded by the Pyrenees. The course has previously been used for the DP World Tour Qualifying School Second Stage and has staged HotelPlanner Tour events, including the Challenge de Catalunya earlier this year.
For the Staysure Legends Tour field, though, this is a first visit.
That gives the week two unknowns at once: a new course for the event and a season-long standings race suddenly missing the man at its head.
The European Legends Cup by SR Nexus takes place from 18–20 September. By the time Fontanals has introduced itself to the field, the Road to Cambodia may have a new leader as well.
