David Vanegas, 2011 winner
Niall Kearney returns to action this week for his second event of the season when the European Challenge Tour resumes this week in Colombia after a two month break with the second edition of the Abierto International Copa Antioquia in Colombia, when home favourite David Vanegas will defend his title.
At the first event of the year in January the former Irish Walker Cup player was forced to withdraw after the first round of the Gujarat Kensville Challenge following a bout of food poisoning which required hospital treatment.
Kearney is hoping to improve his luck this year having missed the secind half of last season's Challenge Tour with a shoulder injury.
Vanegas missed out on graduating to The European tour after finishing 34th on the Challenge Tour Rankings but with the experience of Vanegas will hope to become the first player since Argentine Daniel Vancsik seven years ago to successful retain a Challenge Tour title after finishing four strokes of the field last year.
Vanegas said: “I was obviously slightly disappointed not to have finished in the top 20 at the end of the year, because I started the season top of the Rankings after my victory in Colombia, and I played in enough tournaments after that to stay in the top 20. But at the same time everything was new for me – the countries, the tournaments, the other players, the weather and the courses.
“Last year’ victory was the best day of my life, no doubt. When I found the green on the last hole and knew the title was mine, I just couldn’t believe it. Winning was a dream come true, especially in my home country. It gave me so much confidence, and proved to me that I’m capable of winning at any level.”
Vanegas will have a different course to contend with this year, with the US$230,000 tournament moving to Club Campestre, La Macarena, while he will also have Vancsik himself in the field.
Vancsik, who returns to the Challenge Tour after finishing 140th on The Race to Dubai, will be joined by Argentine Alan Wagner and Dutchman Wil Besseling, who have previous success in the country as the last two winners of the former Club Colombia Masters, which was played on the Challenge Tour from 2007-2009.
Making the trip across the Atlantic to South America are Englishman Charlie Ford and Italian Alessandro Tadini, both of whom won on the Challenge Tour in 2010 but, like Vanegas, missed out on a place on The European Tour, finishing 22nd and 25th in the Rankings respectively.
Jamie McCleary and Craig Lee will be looking to make a strong start to the 2011 season after recently being name as part of the Team Scottish Hydro, the sponsorship programme that will support five Scottish players on the Challenge Tour.
Current Challenge Tour Rankings leader Matt Ford will look to extend his advantage in Colombia after finishing runner up in the season opening event in India, The Gujarat Kensville Challenge.
