Lauren Holmey and Vanessa Knecht make history at the Santander Golf Tour Seville
- The Dutch-Swiss pair wins at Club Zaudín Golf, and Holmey achieves a historic milestone by becoming the first player to win four times in a single season on the circuit
- The Herráez–Villanueva duo and the Latorre–Escobar pair share second place with a total of -11 on the Seville course
Lauren Holmey and Vanessa Knecht wrote a new golden page in the history of the Santander Golf Tour by winning the Doubles Championship at Club Zaudín Golf, the ninth event of the season. The Dutch-Swiss duo won with a final score of thirteen under par on the Seville course, after an intense final day played in greensome format. With this victory, Holmey becomes the first player in the history of the circuit to win four titles in a single season, following her victories at Empordà Golf, Club de Campo Laukariz and Real Club de Golf de La Coruña. All this, moreover, having participated in only five tournaments this year.
The pair started the star match alongside Lucie André and Lina Belmati, both on -8 after the first day, and made their intentions clear from the first hole. Holmey and Knecht started their round with three consecutive birdies from 1 to 3 to quickly take the lead in the tournament. After three pars from the 4th to the 6th, they added their fourth birdie on the par-4 7th to take a commanding lead at -12 overall. Their rapport, supported by the Swiss player’s power off the tee and the Dutch player’s precision, was the key to dominating the day. The only team that managed to keep up with them initially was Amaia Latorre and Marina Escobar, who were just two strokes behind after the 8th hole.
In the second round, Holmey and Knecht recorded their first bogey of the week on the 10th hole, but immediately responded with a birdie on the par-5 12th, even coming close to an eagle after missing a putt from just three metres. However, another bogey on the 14th tightened the standings, with the Latorre–Escobar and Herráez–Villanueva pairs closing in dangerously. The decisive moment came on the par-3 16th, where Knecht sank a spectacular seven-metre putt for birdie, which proved decisive in sealing victory with a total of -13.
At the end of the day, both were jubilant: “We are so happy to have achieved this victory. We had never competed together as a pair before, so to finish like this is wonderful. There was a lot of tension, especially on the last few holes, because we knew there were a lot of pairs pushing hard, but that birdie on the 16th was decisive,‘ they said. Holmey, for her part, highlighted the role of strategy: ’We benefited a lot from Vanessa’s power. The key was trusting each other and staying calm until the end.‘ Regarding her historic season, she said, ’I didn’t know I was the first to achieve four victories, but it’s certainly an honour to set this record. I love this circuit and will come back to compete here whenever I have the opportunity.”
Amaia Latorre and Marina Escobar also put on a great show on the final day. With an opening birdie on the 1st and three more on the 3rd, 4th and 6th holes, the duo from Álava and Almería put pressure on the leaders from the start. They finished the first nine holes at -5 for the day, and after another birdie on the 12th, they moved to -12 overall, just one stroke off the lead. A bogey on the 14th slowed their pace slightly, and despite several birdie opportunities on the final holes, they ended up signing four consecutive pars to finish at eleven under par, tied for second place.
The same result was achieved by the pair María Herráez and María Villanueva, who staged a great comeback after a bogey start on the 1st. With birdies on the 5th, 8th, 13th, 15th and 16th, the duo got right into the fight for the title, although two pars on the final holes left them also at -11 overall, sharing second place.
This concludes the Santander Golf Tour Seville, before heading to the grand finale of the season. The tenth and final event on the circuit will be the Santander Spanish Women’s Professional Championship, which will be held from 19 to 21 November at the Heathland course at La Hacienda Links Golf Resort, where the finishing touch will be added to a historic season.
About Club Zaudín Golf
Club Zaudín Golf, founded in 1992, is located in a privileged location in Seville, just a few minutes from the city centre. This golf course, which covers 62 hectares, has an 18-hole course designed by the renowned Gary Player, who knew how to combine the beauty of the Andalusian landscape with a technical and challenging design. With wide fairways, large bunkers and strategically placed water hazards, the course demands precision and a solid game strategy. Its total length of 6,373 metres allows players to enjoy spectacular views while practising in an environment that respects the native flora and fauna, offering a complete and unique experience on every round.
The images in the presentation were accompanied by horses from Hípica Zaudín, provided by Antonio Verdejo, a professional dressage rider with extensive national and international experience, trained at the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art and winner of multiple championships in Spain and Andalusia.
About the Santander Golf Tour
Homenaje, Wilson Golf, Toa Shoes, and Estrella Damm are the preferred suppliers. The Royal Spanish Golf Federation, together with the Royal Andalusian Golf Federation and the other regional federations through which the circuit passes, provide the rest of the essential support for this tour.