May 31, 2026 – South African Ryan Van Velzen has been the winner of the 27th edition of the Challenge de España, one of the most emblematic tournaments of the HotelPlanner Tour held this week on the links course of Isla Canela. Pablo Ereño has finished tied for 10th place to consolidate himself as the number one Spaniard on the road to the Grand Final and achieve his first victory on the HotelPlanner Tour.

The fourth and final round of the Challenge de España started with a lot of wind, which made a very hard day under difficult conditions. Winning on the links was the objective, and throughout the round the drama of the classification was maintained, as the leaders changed place hole after hole.

As the protagonists were making mistakes, the best result of the day was being created. With the leaderboards changing, what seemed to be at the disposal of the positions. But the South African Ryan Van Velzen, with his calmness to manage without disputing his best round in the tournament, would finish winning.

Van Velzen, considered one of the players with the fastest game on the tour, did not have his best start, making birdie on the 1st and then three bogeys on the following holes, 1, 2, 4 and 5, and dropping to sixth place after his aggressive first round at the HotelPlanner Tour, only four years after leaving Africa to play on the challenge in Europe on a mandate of tranquility and not overexertion.

Thus, with a round of 69 strokes, totals of 64, 71 and 63, he imposed himself in the Challenge de España with a total of 17 under par to become the first South African to win one of the oldest and most prestigious tournaments.

“He has been impressive. The beginning was very complicated, we started playing and the wind was very different from the previous days and it was difficult to adapt. I have survived the first nine holes and I haven’t hit any shot on the green, because they were already out of play”.

“And from there on I have tried to hit the right shot and take opportunities for birdie, and they came. I knew in the last seconds I had to make more birdies than the rest of the day, and for that reason I was really calm”.

“It’s difficult to win, especially in the last nine holes, the pressure is enormous and in the end achieving victory. My objective all year is to make the step to DP World Tour, and I can now enter some tournament but I’m happy with the HotelPlanner Tour and I hope to remain in South Africa”.

With this victory, the South African climbs 20 positions to place himself 4th on the Road to Mallorca.

The second position at the Challenge de España is shared by Dutch player Will Besseling and American Dan Erickson, while Portuguese player Pedro Figueiredo has finished in 4th place, a result that has moved him into the top 10 of the rankings (9th).

Ereño 7th at the Challenge de España and 2nd in the HotelPlanner Tour

Pablo Ereño fought until the final hole of the tournament, where he made birdie, to break into the top 10 — carding a round of 70 strokes for a total of 11 under par. The ProSpain member finishes in 7th place and retains his second position in the HotelPlanner Tour rankings.

“I’ve been trying all day and things just didn’t work out. I started well, I had to make a birdie on 11 because after the bogey on 4 and then another bogey on 12… Then came the truth, a bogey on 14 that hurt me and from there on, although I made good swings, I fought hard. I missed the putt on 16 and on 18 I hit the tee shot badly and that complicated everything a lot. 

I’m very proud to have fought to the end at no moment, and to have been able to finish top 10, everything adds up.”

The prize ceremony for the winner, Ryan Van Velzen, was presided over by Jaime Salaverri, Vice President of the Royal Spanish Golf Federation and City President of Golf Professionals, Marco Colomer, President of Isla Canela, Gala Zanahorias, Director of the HotelPlanner Tour and Javier Gervás, General Director of JGolf.

RESULTS

The Challenge de España is supported by the HotelPlanner Tour, the Royal Spanish Golf Federation, the Junta de Andalucía, the Royal Andalusian Golf Federation and the Higher Sports Council, as well as Allianz, AON, BCD Sports, Kyocera, Volvo, Scalpers, Pesasur, Nevadabobs, Bodegas Juan Gil, Mahou, Solán de Cabras, Revel, Asociación Armadores de Punta del Moral, Licor Mediterráneo and Titleist, under the organization of JGolf.

Photos: Octavio Passos, Getty Images for the HotelPlanner Tour