Portugal’s Ricardo Santos is looking to end his superb Race to Dubai winning season by being named – 2012 Sir Henry Cotton ‘Rookie of the Year’.
The 30-year old Oceanico Victoria Club at Villamoura attached Santos pulled off one of the best victories of the Race to Dubai season in capturing the Maderia Islands Open.
It is never easy for any player to win in their own country and if anything it can be lot more difficult given the weight of expectation a player carries into a ‘home’ tournament.
Portugal’s Ricardo Santos deserving of the award 2012 Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year’. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)
However Santos distinguished himself with admiration as the rode of wave of Portuguese patriotism in capturing the event in his first full season on the European Tour.
Santos was four shots behind heading to the final round but stormed home with a 63 to win by the same margin.
“It would be fantastic if I was to win the Rookie of the Year title,” said Santos.
“I’ve had a such a wonderful season winning the Maderia Islands Open so that I hope those who are on the judging panel will take this into consideration.
“A Portuguese player has never won the Rookie of the Year award and it would be a great honour for me to be the first.”
If so, Santos would also be only the 10th non-UK or Ireland born player in a far too heavily dominated England and Scotland honours roll to win the award since its inception in 1960.
Other contenders for the award include England’s Matthew Baldwin and Spain’s Jorge Campillo.
Baldwin’s merits for the title, despite being British, include making the halfway cut in both the U.S. Open and the Open Championship.
However the closest Baldwin has come to success this year was fifth in the Scottish Open.
Campillo’s rookie season has been highlighted in being runner-up in the Andalucian Open.
However if the judging panel of representatives of the European Tour, the R & A and the Association of Golf Writers is to show any credibility then Ricardo Santos would seem most deserving of the title.
