Navy blue and white tribute to Seve Ballesteros at the Estrella Damm Catalunya Championship
The first round of the Estrella Damm Catalunya Championship was an emotional tribute to Severiano Ballesteros, “a charismatic champion who inspired generations of players and became the soul of Europe in the Ryder Cup,” as Miguel Vidaor, tournament director, recalled on the 1st tee surrounded by family, friends, players, and fans.
On the day marking the fifteenth anniversary of his death, May 7, 2011, navy blue and white dominated the Real Club de Golf El Prat. Players, caddies, journalists, and spectators dressed in his signature colors to honor a golfer who, in Vidaor’s words, “redefined the limits of what is possible, not only through his victories, but also through his imagination, his courage, and his faith.”
Javier Ballesteros, son of the Cantabrian champion, expressed his deep gratitude.
“Today is a special day, for better or for worse, because it’s been so many years without him. I’m very happy to have experienced what we’ve experienced today; it’s the tribute he would have wanted, on the golf course. That young players still see him as their idol even though they never knew him is incredible.”
On the sporting front, the highest-ranked Spaniard was Iván Cantero with a round of 68 (-4), four strokes behind the leader, South African Shaun Norris. Cantero made his DP World Tour debut in 2019 following a successful amateur career; he was ranked third in the world and competed in the Junior Ryder Cup. In 2024, he returned to the Tour and is looking for a strong result to restore his confidence after several difficult weeks.
“The key was on the greens. I played the front nine very well, but I couldn’t sink a putt. Starting on the 10th, they started going in,” explained Cantero, who strung together six birdies on his final ten holes. “Often, the eagerness to make them causes you to miss them. I have to be more patient; when you do that, they end up going in,” he explained.
“It was a great day to remember Seve. I shot four under, so I hope he’s proud of me up there. I think it’s a very nice initiative, and anything done for Severiano is worth it.”
Just one stroke back were Ángel Ayora, Joel Moscatel, and Eugenio Chacarra, all with rounds of 69 (-3).
Ayora provided one of the day’s most striking moments with a left-handed shot on the 2nd hole from a tricky spot.
“I’m not very skilled with my left hand, I never practice it. I even thought about flipping the iron over and hitting it forward, but in the end I did what seemed simplest, and it worked out,” he said.
“Teeing off on the 10th, as I turned around, I caught a glimpse of the huge photo of Seve, and honestly, it inspired me a lot for that shot. I thought, ‘Let loose and hit a monster shot.’ On the 18th, I also had a tricky approach shot because of a bush that wouldn’t let me make the backswing. Maybe that was Seve’s inspiration,” he said after finishing the round.
Joel Moscatel, a local player and member of El Prat, leveraged his knowledge of the Rosa course and was one of the best Spaniards.
“I played very solidly, and knowing some of the course’s lines helps, although with these pin positions, the course changes a lot,” he explained.
Eugenio Chacarra, also with a 69, five strokes behind the leader, is confident he can climb the leaderboard in the coming rounds.
“That double bogey on the 8th was a shame, but I could have made a lot fewer. I three-putted from 4 meters and missed a short birdie putt, but I’m optimistic; it was a good day,” he said.
“Thursdays are always tough, especially playing in Spain because of the expectations, but I’m happy. We did a good job, and although there are things to improve, it was a positive day overall.”
“The tribute to Seve was spectacular. My father’s family is from Santander, and I’ve spent my summers in Pedreña my whole life. My first teacher was his brother, Vicente, so being able to play in honor of Seve is something unique for all Spaniards.”
BEHIND THE ROPES
Charity Birdies at El Prat
All birdies and eagles scored by players at the 2026 Estrella Damm Catalunya Championship will help promote grassroots golf worldwide thanks to the DP World Tour’s Balls for Birdies program in collaboration with DP World.
With the aim of promoting golf and making it more accessible, one ball will be donated for every birdie, two for every eagle, and 100 for every albatross to various projects and golf schools. The total number of balls will be delivered to the beneficiaries at the end of the 2026 Race to Dubai, using DP World’s global logistics network.
A lot at stake this week
The Estrella Damm Catalunya Championship is the first tournament of the European Swing, one of the five individual tours that make up the DP World Tour 2026 Global Swings through August: Opening Swing, International Swing, Asian Swing, European Swing, and Closing Swing.
The top player in each swing will win $200,000 from a $1,000,000 bonus pool and earn direct qualification for all Back 9 tournaments played between August and October.
At the conclusion of the Global Swings, another $1,000,000 prize pool will be distributed among the top ten players in the Race to Dubai who have played a minimum of eight regular tournaments.
The Swings also offer qualification for the first three tournaments of the Rolex Series. The winner of the European Swing will earn a spot in the Genesis Scottish Open.
Tickets for the Estrella Damm Catalunya Championship (with a 25% discount for federation members, 50% off for young people aged 13 to 17, and free entry for children under 13) can be purchased here. Throughout the tournament, the ticket office at El Prat will be open.
The Estrella Damm Catalunya Championship, a DP World Tour tournament included in the Race to Dubai as the first event of the European Swing, is held thanks to the essential collaboration of the Real Club de Golf El Prat. It is sponsored by Estrella Damm and will kick off the Road to 2031 Ryder Cup, a journey that will end at the 2031 Ryder Cup to be held at Camiral.