The Spanish Match Play Championship – 106th Puerta de Hierro Cup – returns this week with the format it successfully launched last year. This time, the tournament travels to the Gran Canaria course of the Real Club de Golf de Las Palmas, where José Antonio Sintes, one of the leading figures in Spanish men's golf this season, will defend his title.

The golfer from the Canary Islands (exact handicap -3.2), winner last year in a spectacular final against his former Blume National School teammate Curro Martínez, is one of the eighty-two contenders for the title. Many eyes will be on him, not only because he is the defending champion, but also because this year he has won on the Alps Tour and earned the title of Spanish Under-18 Champion.

Another islander with enormous experience, Óscar Sánchez (-3.4), who is also in good form after winning the Canary Islands Championship, the Asturian Pablo Alperi (-4) or the Barcelonan Marcel Fonseca (-3), who also has a title this season, are some of the obstacles that Sintes may encounter this week.

In addition, the tournament includes a group of players on an upward trajectory, from Santiago Juesas from Valencia (-2.3) to Iván Enguita from Zaragoza (-2.4).

An attractive format for the fan

For the second year running, registered golfers face the challenge of finishing the first two rounds of Stroke Play within the top 32, who then qualify for the main draw. From that point on, the tournament returns to its traditional and fast-paced Match Play format.

The Puerta de Hierro National Cup, which counts towards the World Ranking, is one of the most important events on the Spanish amateur men's golf calendar of the year due to its long-standing tradition, since, with the exception of the years in which the civil war took place, it has been played uninterruptedly since 1915 on the course to which the last winner belongs.

A list of winners with big names

The tournament's list of winners includes some important names, some of them highly successful professionals. But in recent years, one name has reigned supreme. In just five years, Mario Galiano has carved out a significant place for himself in a competition with a century of history. His victory in 2015 equaled the feat achieved by the Marquis of Cabriñana in the 1950s.

The list of tournament winners also includes names such as José María Olazábal, Jesús María Arruti, Ignacio Garrido, Francisco Valera, Sergio García, Alejandro Cañizares, Pablo Martín, and Rafael Cabrera-Bello.
See the list of participants and other information below, in the Related Links section.