Spain Challenge 2026

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The Challenge de España has begun at Isla Canela Links with a shared and highly international lead. Portugal's Pedro Figueiredo and South Africa's Ryan van Velzen lead after the first round with 64 strokes (-7), followed by Ireland's Mark Power, just one stroke behind. The best Spaniard of the day was Javier Barcos, a member of the RFEG's ProSpain Team, who, with a round of 68 strokes (-3), remains very close to the top in a tournament that promises excitement until Sunday.

The wind, a regular feature at Isla Canela Golf, shaped the course of a day in which the leaders dominated with remarkable ease. Both Figueiredo and Van Velzen took advantage of the favorable morning conditions before the wind made the course even more challenging in the back nine.

Portugal's Pedro Figueiredo carded a 64 in the first round thanks to a combination of precision and patience, recording nine birdies and two bogeys. The Portuguese player, currently ranked 14th on the HotelPlanner Tour, explained that he quickly found his rhythm on a course that perfectly suits his playing style. “To be honest, I wasn't feeling very good about my swing before starting, but Isla Canela is a course that suits my playing style very well, and I've felt very comfortable. I like playing in the wind; it's perfect for my low ball flight.”.

The Portuguese player particularly highlighted the consistency of his tee-to-green game throughout the day. “I think it was a very complete round from drive to putt. Overall, I putted quite well. I three-putted the nine, which was my only bogey of the day, but apart from that, I had many opportunities; I didn't sink them all, but that's normal because they aren't easy greens.”.

Figueiredo arrives at Isla Canela after an inconsistent season, although with some notable results such as a third place in Durban and a fourth in Italy, interspersed with several missed cuts despite playing well. “I’ve had an inconsistent season. I’ve had some good results, but I’ve also missed cuts despite playing well. Even so, I feel like I’m playing well and I hope to get a good result this week. I knew the other course at Isla Canela, but this is the first time I’ve played the links course and I’m really enjoying it.”.

Alongside him at the top of the leaderboard is Ryan van Velzen, who also carded a 64 after a spectacular round of nine birdies and two bogeys. The last of those bogeys, on the par-5 18th hole, prevented him from finishing the day alone at the top of the leaderboard. Van Velzen, who until this week had alternated between DP World Tour events and HotelPlanner Tour tournaments, recently decided to focus on this circuit to solidify his career. “I played really well today. I hit a lot of good shots and made a lot of good putts, especially from about ten feet or less, which allowed me to maintain my momentum.”.

The South African explained how the course changed with the increasing wind in the afternoon. “I kept everything under control with the wind picking up on the back nine. It probably amounted to two clubs, but I kept going, making birdies, hitting accurate shots, and reading the wind really well.”.

Currently ranked 23rd on the HotelPlanner Tour, Van Velzen believes he is getting closer to achieving a top result. “I made the decision to continue playing HotelPlanner Tour events to secure my position and improve my ranking next year. I'm playing solidly, with many good rounds, although I haven't yet managed to finish on the podium. I've been close, and I feel like I'm heading in the right direction.”.

Among the Spaniards, Javier Barcos from Navarre once again confirmed the positive form he has shown this season. The ProSpain Team player carded five birdies and two bogeys to finish at -3.

“The truth is that I felt very comfortable and I hit the irons very well. The putting was a bit of a rollercoaster; some went in well and others fell short, but that happens in every round.”.

Barcos also acknowledged the mental importance of a top-10 finish (8th in Denmark last week) after a demanding start to the season. “I needed a week like this, especially mentally, because I was struggling to get going. The level of competition on the HotelPlanner Tour is very noticeable. The preparation is more thorough, everyone plays very well, and anyone has a chance to win. You have to be at your best every week to be at the top.”.

Pablo Ereño, winner of this year's Challenge Catalunya and currently ranked second on the HotelPlanner Tour, also got off to a strong start. The Spaniard carded a 69 (-2) despite coming off a difficult week in Denmark. "I played solidly today, hit some good shots, and maintained good control.".

Ereño also explained the difficulties he faced last week when neither his luggage nor his clubs arrived on time for the tournament. “It was a strange week in Denmark. My suitcase and clubs didn't arrive until Wednesday afternoon, and I went three days without a swing. Even so, I managed to get a Top 20 finish, so I'm happy.” The Madrid native is clear about his goal for the rest of the season. “This doesn't stop until the end of the year, and the important thing is to get my card. Now it's time to keep working.”.

Pablo Ereño shares 25th position with Santiago Tarrío and fellow ProSpain members Joseba Torres, Asier Aguirre and Josep María Serra, with 2 under par.

The Challenge de España is supported by the HotelPlanner Tour, the Royal Spanish Golf Federation, the Junta de Andalucía, the Royal Andalusian Golf Federation and the Higher Sports Council, as well as Allianz, AON, BCD Sports, Kyocera, Volvo, Scalpers, Pesasur, Nevadabobs, Bodegas Juan Gil, Mahou, Solán de Cabras, Revel, Asociación Armadores de Punta del Moral, Licor Mediterráneo and Titleist, under the organization of JGolf.

SOURCE: Tournament Organization