It’s been 19-years and 486 Tour events since a then 28-year David Drysdale teed-up in the 2003 Canaries Open de Espana on the stunning Costa Adeje course on the island of Tenefite.
The course was designed by Jose Gancedo, who used the natural features of the land (the original banana plantations) to integrate them into the course located on the sout-west side of the island and commanding stunning views out over the Atlantic Ocean.
Drysdale was then into his second full season competing on the European Tour.
Among those who entered what was technically the Spanish Open was a who’s who of golf including Seve Ballesteros, Paul McGinley, Jose Maria Olazabal, Charl Schwartzel, Henrik Stenson, Paul Casey, Ian Poulter, Graeme McDowell and Sergio Garcia.
David Drysdale returns to Costa Adjele for a first time in 19-years.
Drysdale missed the cut in posting a pair of par-72s that included six birdies and just as many bogeys and in the event won by England’s Kenny Ferry in a three-way play-off from Sweden’s Peter Hedblom and Ireland’s Peter Lawrie after all three finished at 22-under par.
The Costa Adeje course again plays host to a European Tour event though at short notice following the suspension of the French Open and with the Tenerife event now the second of three on a ‘Canary Islands Swing’.
Drysdale, and among nine Scots teeing-up this week, took a journey back to 2003 to recall his memories from that week and in what was only his 35th European Tour appearance.
“I remember being here almost 20 years ago, but I don’t remember much about the golf course I don’t remember the greens being this slopey,” said the Scot.
Stunning shot of the sun setting at Costa Adeje
“I remember the scoring being very low. There were six par fives back then I believe. We will play eight as a par four, so five par fours this time around. I don’t see that sort of scoring this week.
“The eighth will be tough as a par four. It’s a blind tee shot, you have to hit way left of where you think you should hit it, over trees. Even then, if you’re not in the left third of the fairway you are kind of blocked by a couple of trees for the second shot. A tough par four. It’s only a driver and a mid iron but it just depends where you get that tee shot. If you hit it down the right side you’ll struggle to hit the green in two. Other than that the other par fives are all good chances.”
Indeed, the venue this week will play to a par-71 and boast five par-5s (1st, 3rd, 11th, 13th and 18th holes) and as Drysdale pointed out the eighth will be tough given it is the second longest hole on the course measuing 560-yards and just 12-yards short of the longest hole and that being the 572-yard third hole.
“Depending on pin placements will determine what the scores are like, and also a bit of wind as well,” said Drysdale.
“With some of the tiers you can be a yard out and end up 80-feet away. It will be some patience required. It blew quite hard on Monday but the wind hasn’t really got up much since then.
“I’m out early on day one so with a bit of luck I’ll get the best of it.
“I had a good couple of days in Austria and just didn’t play well at the weekend. Although I enjoyed that golf course, it was cold, weather was tough. Last week the golf course just didn’t suit me.”
