Gouveia, Gros set for NBO Golf Classic showdown
Having lost his place at the summit of the Road to Oman to two-time winner Gros, after leading for much of the season, Gouveia leapfrogged back into top spot with a tied thirdplace finish at The Foshan Open in China, setting up the prospect of a mouth wat
MUSCAT: The 2015 European Challenge Tour season is set for a thrilling climax as the Road to Oman reaches its final stage at the NBO Golf Classic Grand Final in Muscat from Wednesday to Saturday this week with just under €4,000 separating Ricardo Gouveia and Sebastien Gros at the top of the Rankings.
Having lost his place at the summit of the Road to Oman to twotime winner Gros, after leading for much of the season, 23-year-old Gouveia, who won the AEGEN Airlines Challenge Tour by Hartl Resort in July, leapfrogged back into top spot with a tied thirdplace finish at the penultimate event on the schedule, The Foshan Open in China, setting up the prospect of a mouth watering duel to be crowned Challenge Tour Number One in Oman this week.
“It’s very competitive but really good and fun pushing each other all the way,” said Gouveia.
“I know Sebastian well and he’s a great guy. He won in Kazakhstan in September but I finished well in The Foshan Open to overtake him again. We make each other play better so it’s beneficial competition between us.”
Gouveia is relishing his return to the stunning Greg Norman-designed Almouj Golf course having finished tied ninth at last year’s NBO Golf Classic to narrowly miss out on a spot in the 2014 Grand Final which was played in Dubai, after finishing 47th on the Rankings.
With the NBO event now elevated to Grand Final status and open only to the leading 45 players on the Road to Oman Rankings the top 15 players on the Rankings at the conclusion of the tournament are set to be promoted to play on the 2016 European Tour.
The Portuguese is already as- sured of a place in the big time next season but he’s got his eye on the top spot this week.
“After just missing out on the season-ending event last year and finishing 47th I was disappointed, but that’s golf,” said Gouveia who only turned professional last year.“You’ve just got to get through it and work a bit harder. This year has been very good for me and I go into the event this week leading the Road to Oman Rankings, which is great. I hope I can finish it all off in style.”
Gros has also done enough to secure his European Tour place for next season but the Frenchman admits that the prospect of topping the Road to Oman is a tantalizing one.
“I don’t think winning the Road to Oman Rankings is a goal for anybody at the end of the season, we just want to get into the top 15,” he said.“But now it’s so close heading into the final event and topping the Rankings definitely gives you some extra motivation. We want to win every tournament we win but this would be really special. It would also be my third win of the season, which would mean automatic promotion to The European Tour. In real terms that doesn’t change anything as I’ve already qualified but it would really tick all of the boxes.”
With €64,000 up for grabs for the winner of NBO Golf Classic Grand Final, Borja Virto Astudillo, currently in third place on the Road to Oman with €135,432 following his sensational wire-towire victory in The Foshan Open, could also leave Almouj Golf as Challenge Tour Number One if the cards fall in his favour.
The Spaniard started the season on The European Tour but made the decision to rejoin the Challenge Tour midway through the year in a bid to find some form and improve results.
“I haven’t thought about winning the Road to Oman Rankings but it’s an option now, obviously,” said the 24 year old, who like Gouveia and Gros has already secured his European Tour card for next season following his win in China.“I’m just going to take it easy and relax, because it’s been a busy year, starting on The European Tour and then playing Challenge Tour for the second half of the season.
“It was a tough decision for me to choose to play on the Challenge Tour, missing out on big European Tour events, but now it’s completely worth it.
Hopefully this win and the experience the Challenge Tour has given me will help me to be more prepared next year.”
With Sweden’s Björn Akesson also in the mix, in fourth place on the rankings with €101,101, €56,000 behind Gouveia, following his runner up finish in China, the stage is set for a thrilling climax to the 2015 Challenge Tour season at the NBO Golf Classic Grand Final.
The Pro-Am for the 2015 NBO Golf Classic Grand Final gets underway at Almouj Golf on Tuesday at 6.20am from the first and tenth tees.