The Spanish Armada

The Spanish Armada

During the glory days of Spanish golf in the late 1970s and 1980s, a veritable armada of talent cut a successful swathe through the European Tour, with Severiano Ballesteros, Antonio Garrido, José María Cañizares, Manuel Piñero and José Rivero all regular winners. José María Olazábal joined them in the late 1980s and Miguel Ángel Jiménez and Ignacio Garrido in the 1990s but the conquests became less frequent as the old guard sailed into the sunset. Then along came an exciting new guard of Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño, José Manuel Lara, Alejandro Cañizares, Pablo Martín, Pablo Larrazábal and Rafael Cabrera-Bello.

The women are also shining on the international stage, with Beatriz Recari (2010) and Azahara Muñoz (2012) joining the trailblazing Marta Figueras-Dotti (1994) as Spanish winners on the US LPGA Tour.

Barely one percent of the Spanish population might be regular golfers, but the country is producing some of the finest young international golfers of the modern era. Here you will find a brief profile of Spain’s best, together with posts and photos…

Alejandro Cañizares

Born: 9 January 1983, Madrid Turned pro: 2006 One of two golf pro sons of veteran José María, Alejandro Cañizares launched his own European Tour career in superb style, winning the 2006 Imperial Collection Russian Open on just his third start as an affiliate member – beating the record of Sergio García and Graeme McDowell...

Álvaro Quirós

Born: 21 January 1983, Guadiaro Turned pro: 2004 Noted for his extraordinary long-hitting, Álvaro Quirós showed he had the complete game when he won the 2007 Alfred Dunhill Championship in Africa in his first appearance as a full European Tour member. After struggling with injury the rest of his debut season, he emerged the following...

Rafael Cabrera-Bello

Born: 25 May 1984, Las Palmas Turned pro: 2005 During an outstanding amateur career, Rafael Cabrera-Bello won the Spanish national championship every year from seven to under-18 level. He qualified as a member of the European Tour after finishing 14th on the 2006 Challenge Tour but failed to hold on to his card and needed...

Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño

Born: 13 October 1980, Madrid Turned pro: 2004 After his maiden victory in the KLM Open, Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño was named Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year – joining compatriots José María Olazábal and Sergio García in that illustrious company. He won again in 2006 (BMW Asian Open) and 2007 (Telecom Italia Open) and put...

Ignacio Garrido

Born: 27 March 1972, Madrid Turned pro: 1993 Born with pure golfing pedigree – his father Antonio played in the first Ryder Cup open to Continental European players (1979, with Seve Ballesteros) – Ignacio Garrido enjoyed his maiden European Tour victory in the 1997 German Open. Later that year his father was on his bag...

José Manuel Lara

Born: 21 May 1977, Valencia Turned pro: 1997 When José Manuel Lara broke through for his first European Tour win in the UBS Hong Kong Open, Miguel Ángel Jiménez was waiting on the green and the first to congratulate him. One year later, Lara made his professional team debut, replacing the injured José María Olazábal...

José María Olazábal

José María Olazábal

Born: 5 February 1966, Fuenterrabia Turned pro: 1985 One of the most successful amateurs in the history of the game – he won the British Amateur, Youths and Boys Championship titles – José María Olazábal finished first at the 1985 European Tour Qualifying School and went on in his debut season in 1986 to win...

Miguel Ángel Jiménez

Miguel Ángel Jiménez

Born: 5 January 1964, Málaga Turned pro: 1982 After working his way up through the caddie ranks at his Costa del Sol home club of Torrequebrada, Miguel Ángel Jiménez earned his European Tour card by finishing sixth at the 1988 Qualifying School, was 85th in his first full season (1989) and in 1992 broke through...

Pablo Larrazábal

Born: 15 May 1983, Barcelona Turned pro: 2004 The son of a fish farmer who insisted he work in the family business before turning pro, to learn and understand the value of money, Pablo Larrazábal stunned the golfing world by coming through the 36-hole pre-qualifying event and going on to win the 2008 French Open...

Pablo Martín

Born: 20 April 1986, Málaga Turned pro: 2007 Considered one of the most naturally gifted of Spain’s new generation of stars, Pablo Martín became the first amateur to win a European Tour event, the 2007 Estoril Open de Portugal. Four years earlier, as a 17-year-old schoolboy competing in the Canarias Open de España, he had...

Sergio García

Born: 9 January 1980, Castellón Turned pro: 1999 (+5.6) Dubbed “El Niño”, Sergio García rose from 399th to 12th in the world rankings in his first season as a pro, after becoming the only non-professional to make the 1999 US Masters cut (as reigning British Amateur champion). He had four main objectives in that first...

Severiano Ballesteros

Severiano Ballesteros

Born: 9 April 1957 (7 May 2011), Pedreña Turned pro: 1974 Others might have won more majors, or enjoyed longer careers at the top, but Severiano Ballesteros mesmerised the golfing world with his artistry, derring-do, charisma, passion and true grit like no other player in the history of the sport. He won 87 titles...

Beatriz Recari

Born: 21 April 1987 Turned pro: November 2005 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beatrizrecari Twitter: @BeatrizRecari After winning her first Ladies European Tour title in 2009 (Finnair Masters in Helsinki), Beatriz Recari enjoyed further success by securing her card at the LPGA Tour Qualifying School. The 2004 Spanish Amateur and 2005 French Amateur champion played most of her golf...

Azahara Muñoz

Born: 19 November 1987, Málaga Turned pro: September 2009 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Azahara-Munoz Twitter: @AzaharaGolf As an amateur, Azahara Muñoz won the individual (2008) and team (2009) US NCAA titles, was 2009 British Ladies Amateur champion and finished runner-up in the 2008 US Women’s Amateur. Competing in her first event as a professional, she carded an eagle...

Carlota Ciganda

Born: 1 June 1990, Pamplona Turned pro: June 2011 Facebook page Twitter: @Xarlot9 Spanish national amateur champion in every age group from 2000 to 2008, as well as 2007 British Amateur and 2004 and 2008 European Championship winner, Carlota Ciganda also made history as a student at the Arizona State University, becoming the first player

Jon Rahm

Highly-Competitive Spanish Star with a Finely-Tuned Sense of Karma Born 10 November 1994 in Barrica, Vizcaya (Basque Country) Turned Pro 2016 Jon Rahm and a goldfish might not seem to have a great deal in common. And in fact they don’t, except for one trait. After just missing out on making the play-off in the first...