Bello again
Spaniard targets big titles after halting winless run
HOME hero Rafa Cabrera Bello set his sights on golf’s biggest titles again after claiming his first win in four years at the Acciona Open de Espana.
The Spaniard defeated countryman Adri Arnaus on the first play-off hole in Madrid to lift the trophy and complete a remarkable return to form after claiming just one worldwide top 10 in 2021.
Grant Forrest finished in a three-way tie for third, the best of the eight Scots in the field who all made the halfway cut on Friday.
Arnaus made spectacular eagles on the seventh and 14th in a 67 that left him two shots ahead Forrest, who picked up seven shots in his last seven holes as he came home in 28 for a closing 65.
Cabrera Bello was undefeated in three matches as a member of Europe’s defeated Ryder Cup team in 2016 and a year later won one of the European Tour’s elite Rolex Series events at the Scottish Open.
He also finished in the top five at the Open in 2017 and claimed a top 10 at the US PGA Championship in 2018 but arrived here 231st in the world.
Cabrera Bello entered the final round with a two-shot lead and despite seeing that disappear with a double-bogey on the first, he birdied four and then added a hat-trick of gains from the 13th.
He produced a brilliant sand save for par on the last to sign for a 69 and take the contest to extra holes at 19 under.
His tee shot on the second trip up the 18th was not his best, but neither was Arnaus’ effort, and Cabrera Bello put an approach to 11 feet and rolled home his birdie putt to take the title.
“I came here in a pretty bad place with scores being not what I expect them to be and to be able to get momentum and turn it around and to walk out of here with a win means a lot to me,” he said.
“Hopefully I can keep going and get back to the player I know I can be.”
England’s Jack Senior finished at 16 under, a shot clear of countryman Richard Bland and Scotland’s Marc Warren (67).
World No.1 Jon Rahm carded a closing 69 to finish six shots out of the play-off as his bid for a third consecutive win at this event fell short.
Other Scots: -10 David Drysdale (72), Connor Syme (65); - 8 Calum Hill (69), Scott Jamieson (72), David Law (66), Richie Ramsay (66).