THE GECKO TOUR: REVOLUTIONARY CHANGE AND EVOLUTIONARY DIVERSITY
It is justifiably described as "Europe's premier winter circuit" but in recent months The Gecko Tour has raised the bar to an even more impressive level - certainly when it comes to the diversity of its fields and star performers.
Since the sixth season of the Costa del Sol-based circuit was launched in October 2016, under new ownership, the podiums have included veteran pros recapturing their winning form of previous years, young colleagues fine-tuning their games in a quest to qualify for Europe's main tours, teenage amateurs (and potential stars of the future) testing and honing their skills in the fiercely competitive cauldron of the paid ranks, and hugely talented women golfers mixing it with the men on the same fairways.
Among the champions this year (the tour concludes with the championship final at Finca Cortesín from 5 to 7 March) are 17-year-old Danish amateur Anders Emil Ejlerson and 18-year-old Finnish amateur Sami Valimaki; Marbella-born Ladies European Tour player Noemí Jiménez; José Luis Gross, a part-time pro with a day job in Málaga as a dentist; Mariano Galiano from the La Cañada club, who has won this season as a fledgling pro and the previous one as an amateur; and European Challenge Tour player Sam Connor from England. Highlighting the cosmopolitan nature of the tour, and its appeal for golfers keen to escape the chilly and wet winter climes of their northern home bases, there have also been Swedish, Scottish and Northern Irish winners, as well as an Argentinean.
Even elite Czech Republic athlete Roman Šerble has teed up on the tour - comprising two 36-hole events most weeks, at top courses along the Coast from east of Málaga to Sotogrande - albeit so far without adding to his nine decathlon gold medals in the European Championships, World Championships and Olympic Games (Athens).
As Tour announced at the start of this season, implementing a series of "revolutionary" changes aimed at enabling it to boost its progress in 2016-17, "The Gecko has conjured up a perfect mix of seniority and youth. Experienced players commit to the tour to stay in form, compete against talented young golfers and re-open the door to - why not - the European Tour... In addition, the Gecko has become a perfect launching pad and test for those talented youngsters who want to climb into the elite and need to train in winter. Where better than under the Costa del Sol sun? They come from throughout Europe, ready to beat the world."