Staff WriterWhen Renato Paratore steps onto the first tee at Fontanals Golf Club, all eyes will be on the Italian phenom.
Renato Paratore arrives in Girona brimming with confidence, fresh off back-to-back victories in the UAE Challenge and Abu Dhabi Challenge.
Aiming for Three in a Row
Could Paratore become the first player in HotelPlanner Tour history to win three consecutive tournaments?
If form is any indication, the answer is a resounding “yes.” Riding high in the Road to Mallorca Rankings—he currently sits second—Paratore has the chance not only to rewrite the record books, but also to clinch automatic promotion to the DP World Tour.
“I’m really excited,” he said. “I love Spain and everything about this country. It’s also good to be back in Europe.
“My position changed a lot in the Rankings after the last two weeks and I’m really excited to play now. I’m going to play a lot, because I like to compete.”
Back in Europe and Fired Up
After his UAE double-header triumph—made all the sweeter by familiarity with the courses where he lives and trains—Renato Paratore has sharpened his focus for Girona.
He’s determined to carry the shot-by-shot discipline that fueled his recent wins into this week’s event.
“The UAE was great as I live there and know it well, which helped me a lot. Hopefully by playing well this week, the goal is to be in contention, and we’ll see what happens.
“I didn’t know that I could make history this week, so that’s cool. I’m going to have that focus that I had the last two weeks, go shot-by-shot, and try to play well.”
From Triumph to Trial and Back
The 28-year-old’s career highlights include a runaway victory at the 2020 Betfred British Masters and strong showings at the BMW PGA Championship (top ten) and the Dubai Championship (top 15).
He closed that season 21st on the Race to Dubai, capturing the attention of Europe’s elite.
Yet 2024 brought its challenges: Paratore missed the cut to retain his DP World Tour card. Far from discouraged, he overhauled his game and mindset in the off-season, and the results speak for themselves.
“The strange thing about golf is that if someone told me last year that I would win twice this year, it would be crazy to believe,” he added.
“Last year I finished in November, and I wasn’t playing well. I lost my card, so it wasn’t a good moment of my life, but I worked hard, changed a few things and at the end I started to play better. Here we are now and I’m very happy.”
Field Highlights and Tee Times
The Challenge de España marks the first European stop on the 2025 Road to Mallorca, and the field is stacked:
- Seven-time DP World Tour winner Álvaro Quirós
- Road to Mallorca No. 3 Joshua Berry
- Local talent Quim Vidal and Ireland’s Liam Nolan
- First-round tee times (local):
- Tournament start: 8:00 am tomorrow
- Paratore’s group (with Vidal and Nolan): 2:00 pm
Can Renato Paratore turn Girona into the scene of a historic three-peat? If his recent form is any guide, his name could soon be etched alongside the legends of the Tour.
The only question now: will he carry that winning momentum all the way to the DP World Tour?
