Ana Peláez takes the lead at the Santander Golf Tour Castellón with a brilliant finish at Mediterráneo Golf.
Caption: Ana Peláez, teeing off under the watchful eyes of spectators at Mediterráneo Golf.
The Málaga native leads at -7 after a spectacular second round; Nuria Iturrioz (-6) sits one shot back, while Amaia Latorre and María Villanueva (-5) share third place.
Amateur África Oliva shines on home soil with a strong second round and is tied for fifth at -4 alongside Miriam Ayora and Alicia Fajardo.
The opening day of the Santander Golf Tour 2026 got underway in style at Mediterráneo Golf, where the Birdie Challenge format once again rewarded attacking play on a technical course that demands constant precision. In this format, only birdies are counted, although if a player fails to make any in a round (first or second), they are penalized with a bogey—forcing a consistently aggressive approach throughout the round.
In this setting, Ana Peláez was the standout performer of the day with a round of -7, taking the outright lead after a performance that built momentum and culminated in a superb finish. The Málaga native, playing in the featured group alongside Nuria Iturrioz and Amaia Latorre, delivered a spectacular second round, making five birdies over the final seven holes.
The turning point came on the 12th hole, where she began a brilliant run with three consecutive birdies from holes 12 to 14. She then capped her performance with two outstanding birdies on holes 17 and 18, supported by excellent short game and, especially, putting, to end the day as the sole leader.
After the round, Peláez explained the key to the format and her approach on the course: “Being very aware that only birdies count in this format completely changes your strategy. There are decisions I wouldn’t normally make, but here everything has a different intention. It’s been a lot of fun.” She also highlighted her accuracy off the tee: “I was very aggressive with the driver, placing it where it needed to be, and that gave me a lot of short shots into the green. It felt like getting into a really good loop of approach and putt.”
Peláez, the reigning Santander Golf Tour champion after her victory at the Santander Spanish Professional Championship held at La Hacienda Links Golf Resort, also boasts two consecutive Spanish titles (2024 and 2025), reinforcing her position as one of the most in-form players on the national scene.
Just one shot behind is Nuria Iturrioz, in second place at -6 after a highly consistent round and an equally strong finish. The Balearic player, Spanish champion in 2023 and a five-time Ladies European Tour winner, built her round with birdies on holes 5 and 9, adding another on the 12th to stay in contention throughout. Her standout moment came in the closing stretch, where she finished with three consecutive birdies from holes 16 to 18, leaving her just one shot off the lead heading into the final day.
Third place at -5 is shared by Amaia Latorre, originally from Álava and based in Castellón, and María Villanueva from Gipuzkoa. Latorre showed great solidity on a course she knows well, while Villanueva delivered a balanced round in a format that suits her aggressive style, keeping both firmly in the title race.
In fifth place at -4 is a large group of players, including standout amateur África Oliva, along with Miriam Ayora and Alicia Fajardo, forming a tightly packed mid-table after the opening day.
Oliva, a player from the Sergio Garcia Golf Academy, delivered an excellent performance highlighted by a strong second round. “It was a day for patience. In the first round, my putting wasn’t quite there, but I knew there were plenty of holes and opportunities left, so I kept pushing,” she explained.
The amateur also emphasized the importance of strategy in this format: “Depending on whether you hit driver or wood, the hole changes completely. You can get into trouble or give yourself real birdie chances.” Looking ahead to the final round, she remains ambitious: “I’ll go out calm and happy. Being here is already a great opportunity for me, so I’ll try to make as many birdies as possible.”
The Mediterráneo Golf course once again demonstrated its technical character, with narrow fairways and constant decision-making from the tee requiring players to think through every shot. In a format like the Birdie Challenge, where aggression is essential but precision is decisive, the balance between risk and control shaped the day’s play.
The competition will be decided tomorrow starting at 09:00, in what promises to be an open final round with several players in contention for the title in this first event of the Santander Golf Tour 2026.
About Mediterráneo Golf
Mediterráneo Golf, located in Borriol in the province of Castellón, is one of the most iconic courses in Spanish golf and a benchmark for high performance, closely linked to the development of major international figures such as Sergio García. Designed by Ramón Espinosa, the course features a technical and demanding layout combining narrow fairways, well-protected greens, and established Mediterranean vegetation that comes into play on many holes. Its balanced and strategic design rewards accuracy off the tee and control in the short game, offering a complete test for amateurs and professionals alike.
About the Santander Golf Tour
The Santander Golf Tour is Banco Santander’s strong commitment to women’s professional golf and celebrates its eleventh season in 2026. With eight tournaments across Spain—some included in higher-tier circuits such as LETAS—it is supported by Banco Santander and Santander Private Banking as main sponsors, alongside Carmignac and Santander Seguros. Turismo y Planificación Costa del Sol, Bodegas Homenaje, Mahou, and PING also act as co-sponsors. The Royal Spanish Golf Federation, the Valencian Golf Federation, and other regional federations provide essential additional support for the tour’s organization.
For more information:
Eric Centella
Press Officer – Santander Golf Tour
eric@deporteandbusiness.com