Andrew's Challenge de Espana (HPT) Preview

As I fight my way through recovering from a bank holiday, managing a half-term and dealing with a heatwave, this second preview of the week is necessarily short. Fortunately, there really isn’t too much to say. Looking back, we saw long-term friend of the column Tapio Pulkannen win without our money aboard. I’m still delighted, as he’s got a DPWT game and hasn’t won as much as his talent suggests he should at this level. His win, and the leaderboard, is further proof of the importance of playing close to home, something we’ll remember as we return to Spain. My picks were frustratingly poor in Denmark.

The Tournament

Yes, we’ve gone Spain – Denmark – Spain, which is a variation on last season’s Spain – Czechia – Spain, but no more logical. Costs are important at this level and it is a rare misstep from the HPT organizers. Like the event two weeks ago, this is a Q-school staple course now hosting an HPT event. The Challenge de Espana has moved around the calendar and around courses, and this is the latest it’ll be played in May (weather will be a non-factor) and also the first time that the southern Spanish resort course of Isla Canela will host. As I say, it is somewhere I’ve previewed before. I said, in part,

The par-5 18th plays 0.8 below par and is the easiest hole on any course this week. All par-fours are straightforward along with drivable (331 yard) par-4 6th. Outward nine is far tougher, especially par-4 second and par-3's 7th and 3rd (latter is a very long water carry.) Lots of water on a flat, modern course which looks and sounds very Floridian. The least interesting course of the week.Key attributes: Heavy scoring is essential and power and good putting will necessary to being successful.

Although we’re at a very different time of the year, it is worth looking at players who’ve played here and done well, a list that includes Clement Sordet and Adam Wallin, first and seventh in 2024, and Max Kennedy (third last year.) Scores of -27 for Sordet and Max Steinlechner in 2024 show that this 7,128 yard par-71 can be taken on and suggest that good iron play as well as streaky putting will be critical here. 

The Selections

I think everyone who follows the HPT even a little bit is waiting for Adam Wallin to grab a win. I certainly am, and with his course knowledge he'd have been hard to overlook, but he doesn't start. I am intrigued by the arrival of Kieran Vincent who has clearly determined that the Asian Tour/LIV route is no longer for him. However, I’m keeping this very simple. I do think that this resort course will be fairly straightforward to pick apart and that course knowledge won’t be of enormous significance. I’ve said that I think it has a distinctly Floridian feel and I’ve said that I think locals have a big advantage. Which leaves me with two picks.

First of these, and he was almost a single bullet, is Pablo Ereno. The young Spaniard looks like the class of this year’s HPT class and won two weeks ago in Catalunya. After four years at UCLA he is more than familiar with modern course designs and this straightforward event will play right into his hands. The price is short enough but made longer by the arrival of Kieran Vincent and some defensive pricing on Sordet, and I think Ereno might again prove too good for this field in another home event.

My second and final pick is Florida native and form horse Jhared Hack. Yes, he’s going to enjoy this Floridian setup. Yes, he’s a wonderful story and a young man who has fought incredibly hard to get towards the top table in golf and is now two or three good weeks away from securing a DPWT card. But those aren’t the big reason to back him – the big reason is that there’s nobody playing more consistently great golf on this tour at the moment. The missed cut at the Danish Championship meant he finally had a weekend off after eight consecutive top ten finishes on the PGTI and the HPT, most recently ninth in Catalunya. I like his chances to grab another top ten and hopefully a place return behind young Pablo, at a very generous price.

• Pablo Ereno (sometimes Pablo Ereno Perez; look carefully at your book!), 16/1, 2pts win only, Bet365

• Jhared Hack, 70/1, 1pt e/w, ¼ odds 5 places, Bet365