Ignacio Garrido

Not many budding players have been able to enjoy the same invaluable first-hand exposure to tour life as Ignacio Garrido. The 1992 English Open Amateur stroke-play champion would often take time out from his amateur travels to caddie for his father, tour veteran Antonio, who, with Severiano Ballesteros, was the first of the “Continental” Europeans to play in the Ryder Cup (in 1979). Garrido junior made his own way on to the European Tour via the Challenge Tour, where he finished 10th in 1993, winning twice (the Challenge AGF in France and Spanish PGA). He made a fine debut, ending the year in 63rd place and contending strongly for the Rookie of the Year award. In 1995 he made further advances, twice finishing joint runner-up - in the Spanish Open behind Ballesteros and the Hohe Brücke Open - and climbed to 29th place. He also represented Spain in the World and Dunhill Cups. Many expected Garrido to be the first of the young Spaniards to reach the winner’s podium but Diego Borrego beat him to that honour in 1996. Nevertheless, he soon collected his first victory, beating the likes of Bernhard Langer, Ian Woosnam and Sam Torrance in the 1987 Volvo German Open and topped that by gaining a place in the European team for the 1997 Ryder Cup, held in Spain for the first time. He slipped to 40 in the money list in 1998 but made some inroads in 1999, rising to 31st.
Unfortunately, mediocre early results in 2000 prevented him from making further improvements and he dropped down the money list - before fourth place in the BMW International Open in September elevated him into the top 50 and a final place of 43rd.
In 2001 he also languished on the lower rungs of the order of merit for most of the year before finishing 89th.