This event made its debut on the DP World Tour in 2022, having been added to the schedule as a replacement for the postponed Volvo China Open in April. Held at the Stadium Course of the PGA Catalunya Resort in Girona, North West Spain, the tournament was initially planned as a one-off event – following hot on the heels of the ISPS Handa Championship in Spain which had similarly been hastily added to the calendar as a replacement for the ISPS Handa Championship in Japan.
Despite its one-off status, the event proved a hit with players and will likely live long in the memory of Spain’s Adri Arnaus. Heading into the tournament without a DP World Tour title to his name, Arnaus – who hails from nearby Barcelona – shot seven under in the final round to force a playoff with Oliver Bekker. Six playoff holes later and Arnaus had the first top-level success of his career.
Past Winners
| Year | Course | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | PGA Catalunya Golf | Adri Arnaus |
2022: Adri Arnaus
Spanish golf fans may have lamented the fact that their top player was competing in Mexico but they were already very happy ahead of the Catalunya Championship after Pablo Larrazabal won the previous week in the ISPS Handa Championship. Those who were present at Infinitum Golf and made the short trip up the road to PGA Catalunya were positively delighted one week on as Adrian Arnaus made it back to back wins for Spanish players on Spanish soil.
Arnaus was made to work very hard for his victory. He did all he could to edge himself out in front during the final round of the 2022 Catalunya Championship but just couldn’t get past Oliver Bekker. With the two men locked on 11 underpar, a playoff was required and this too took an awful lot of work. Arnaus and Bekker went up the 18th hole five times but neither man was able to find a birdie and so after five straight pars they headed to the 17th hole.
Despite being one of the toughest holes of the week, Arnaus finally fashioned a birdie chance. He fluffed his lines when attempting to win in style but was handed a reprieve when Bekker couldn’t get up and down from a greenside bunker. The manner of the victory was of no concern at all to the delighted Arnaus. The Barcelona native was just thrilled that his first DP World Tour win could come not just in Spain but in Catalunya.