Andrew’s Challenge de Cadiz (HPT) Preview

Both feeder events are running for the second week in a row, and the HPT leaves Denmark to head back to Spain. Yes, they were there a few weeks ago. Yes, it would have made more sense to be in Cadiz before Barcelona, and not to go to Bogense between the two stops. Yes, it’s confusing. We’ll cope. 

Last week saw our selections perform very poorly, there’s no other way to describe it. The good news, I suppose, is that I thought we’d see a late-blooming Scottish links specialist in his late twenties build on amateur promise and compete for the win. We did – but Calum Fyfe not Euan Walker. I also thought we’d see an incredibly talented Irish neo-pro take advantage of “home style” conditions to compete. We did – but Liam Nolan not Alex Maguire. That’s the only moral victory I can claim. From the top of the market, Fyfe will feel he’s blown a golden chance for a maiden victory, coming into the weekend with a three shot lead and shooting 68-71 to lose to Jonathan Goth-Rasmussen. 

The Dane finished 66-67 to take the title and demonstrate the value of playing at home – he’d missed seven consecutive cuts dating back to the Australian Open in December before this. Interestingly, it was his second HPT title and the first came at this week’s venue in Cadiz so I imagine we have to see him as a contender despite his earlier form. Another noteworthy performances came from crack Welsh amateur turning DPWT hopeful James Ashfield, in sixth. The Walker Cupper and Copa Sotagrande winner is 24 and has a deeper breadth of amateur experience than many, and will be winning at this level soon. 

Finally, I’d note that Albin Bergstrom demonstrated his talent and steel in conditions that won’t have suited to lie fifth at halfway (68-68) before fading slightly to finish 23rd. I’ve talked about his talent before and again, he’ll be winning soon.Let’s move onto the coming event before I forget my vow of brevity and walk through the whole leaderboard.

The Tournament

The Challenge de Cadiz has had a few name changes (between this year’s iteration and Andalucia Challenge de Cadiz) but has been held annually, and at the same venue, since Pep Angles took down the first edition in 2020. It’s been a June event since the 2021 iteration (Kristof Ulenars, who was making his first appearance on the HPT. Kristof burned bright but is now scrapping for a place on the ProGolf Tour and missed the cut by six shots as an invited player at the Soudal last week. Such is the fickle nature of golf.  Yet I digress again.) Subsequent winners Sam Hutsby and the aforementioned Goth-Rasmussen demonstrate that this is not necessarily a course that highlights future stars, nor is it a course where length or experience are particularly valuable.

What does it reward? Well, as a Seve Ballesteros course, it is nice to see that approach play and scrambling are prioritised. You can’t necessarily share Seve’s wildness from the tee without his brilliance in improvising, but you needn’t be super straight or super long – this is a 7,064-yard par 72. In truth, this is more about being picturesque – we start along the Atlantic Ocean, though the back-9 is tighter and returns through trees – and playable for the resort guests who use this course for 51 weeks of the year. It’s not unlike the Turkish Open course from a couple of weeks ago, though more straightforward, and I think that, as is typical for easier resort courses, putting will be critical. Wind, and there's plenty, will make approaches harder and keep a focus on putting and scrambling, and if you’re looking at the FRL market you probably want an early starter.

Selections

I found this very difficult this week. There were lots I wanted to include but I’ve managed to scrap and claw my way down to three picks. A couple of players who could demolish the par-5's but are perhaps too reliant on driver were left out for reasons of course fit and price, but Filippo Celli (28/1, second on his last appearance in 2023, but perhaps losing his early season form) and Albin Bergstrom (66/1 and managing to lose the fancy early prices I enjoyed without yet placing) came very close to selection. 

So too did Adri Arnaus (28/1) but the Spaniard is not showing the necessary form – perhaps he'll do a Goth-Rasmussen, but I’m not convinced. Finally, and hardest of all to exclude, Oliver Gillberg is another talented young Swede who has made a sparkling start on the HPT (eighth in Spain, 13th in Denmark, 26th here last year.) There’s some doubt about his participation – although he has a tee time, he’s only listed in one book and is excluded from a number of scorecards, but more than that, I think he too is a player who’ll be better with more reliance on his driving. All of which left me with three.

Joshua Berry heads my team, and that’s partly about quality and partly about price. Indeed, when I messaged Nate about the timing of this article, I told him to just back Berry because the 45/1 wouldn’t last. Well, if you are win only, or prefer six places 1/5 odds, you can get 50/1 now. Sorry, Nate. At either price and either set of place terms, he’s a cracking bet. The very young Englishman picked up a win and a second on this tour in India, before finishing sixth in the Hero Indian on the DPWT. His form has tailed off slightly since then but I think this straightforward, heavy-scoring course with a focus on approach and putting is ideal for him and I think he’ll be right in the mix for another win.

He’s joined on my ledger by a second Englishman at a shorter price, Jamie Rutherford. One place behind Berry, Rutherford is fourth on the seasonal rankings, having won in Cape Town. He’s far from the longest but is calm and accurate from tee-to-green, rock solid in this sort of event at this level, and was 11th here on his only start in 2023. Having picked up 33rd in Turkey up on the DPWT, he’s clearly in good form and enjoying these resort tests, which makes it easy to dismiss a missed cut at the very different event in Denmark last week. 

Finally, I’m giving a second chance to James Meyer de Beco who remains at a massive price. Regular readers will remember that I was behind him when he came twentieth in the Challenge de Espana a fortnight ago. After missing the cut in his National Open, the Soudal, I’m back for more from the Belgian. He’s new to this level but clearly good enough, and this is an uncomplicated test and a place that he can thrive as plenty of rookies have before.

• Joshua Berry, 45/1, 1pt e/w, 1/4 odds 5 places, Bet365.

• Jamie Rutherford, 28/1, 1pt e/w, 1/4 odds 5 places, Bet365.

• James Meyer de Beco, 175/1, 1pt e/w, 1/4 odds 5 places, Bet365.