Venue: Club de Campo Villa de Madrid (also referred to as Real Club de Campo Villa de Madrid), Madrid, Spain
Dates: Thursday, October 8 – Sunday, October 11, 2026
Course: Par 71, 7,154 yards (Black Course / Recorrido Negro). Tree-lined parkland layout designed by Javier Arana. Features a mix of demanding par-4s, strategic par-5s, and well-bunkered greens. Emphasizes accuracy off the tee, precise approach play, and solid short-game management.
Purse: Approximately $3.75 million (with significant Race to Dubai points available; winner also earns an invitation to the 2027 Masters).
Format: 72-hole stroke play; cut after 36 holes (typically top 65 and ties). Starting Times: First-round tee times begin around 8:40 a.m. local (CEST) / 7:40 a.m. UK time on Thursday, with morning and afternoon waves from both the 1st and 10th tees. Subsequent rounds follow a similar structure. TV coverage typically starts mid-afternoon local time (e.g., 14:00–19:00 CEST on early days).
Weather Conditions
Pleasant early-autumn conditions expected in Madrid:
Mostly sunny to partly cloudy skies.
Daytime highs in the upper 60s to mid-70s°F (≈20–24°C); overnight lows in the mid-40s to low 50s°F (≈7–12°C).
Low chance of rain (generally under 5%).
Light to moderate northeast winds (typically 5–12 mph).
Dry, firm conditions are likely, favoring good scoring opportunities for accurate players while making the rough and bunkers more penal.
Course Conditions
The Club de Campo Villa de Madrid is expected to be in excellent tournament shape. Tree-lined fairways demand positioning, with thicker rough in places to punish wayward drives. Greens are typically firm and true, rewarding precise iron play and confident putting. The layout has been lengthened slightly in recent years for Tour events. Birdie opportunities exist on the reachable par-5s and shorter par-4s, but longer par-4s and well-guarded greens test ball-striking. Past winning scores have often been in the mid-teens under par under similar conditions.
Tournament History
One of Europe’s oldest national opens (founded 1912) and a founding event of the modern European Tour/DP World Tour (1972). It has been held nearly every year since and ranks among the most prestigious events on the schedule. Notable past winners include Seve Ballesteros (multiple titles), Jon Rahm (three-time champion), Bernhard Langer, Sir Nick Faldo, Arnold Palmer, Sergio García, and more recently Marco Penge (2025, in a playoff), Ángel Hidalgo (2024), and Matthieu Pavon (2023). Spanish players have a strong historical record at their home open. The event also offers Open Championship qualifying spots.
Field Highlights & Notable Player Matchups / Groupings
A strong international field mixing DP World Tour regulars, LIV Golf players, and PGA Tour talent. Key absences include Jon Rahm (withdrawn due to the impending birth of his child). Standouts include:
Ludvig Åberg, Shane Lowry, Patrick Reed (Race to Dubai contender), Tyrrell Hatton, Justin Rose, Sergio García, Bubba Watson, Francesco Molinari, Alex Norén, David Puig, Eugenio Chacarra, Adrian Meronk, Thriston Lawrence, and defending champion Marco Penge.
Notable early groupings (examples):
Eugenio Chacarra, Shane Lowry, Patrick Reed.
Ángel Ayora, Ludvig Åberg, Tyrrell Hatton.
Marco Penge, Justin Rose, Sergio García.
Other strong groups featuring Spanish talent and recent winners.
Storylines: Home support for Spanish players (García, Puig, Chacarra, etc.); Åberg’s status as a top-ranked contender; Reed’s Race to Dubai push; Penge’s title defense; major champions seeking late-season form.
Recent Player Forms
Ludvig Åberg: High world ranking and consistent elite form; strong favorite after Rahm’s withdrawal.
Shane Lowry: Proven winner with solid recent results.
Patrick Reed: Leading the Race to Dubai conversation and in good scoring form.
Marco Penge: Defending champion with proven success at this venue.
Spanish contingent (García, Puig, Chacarra, Ayora, etc.): Strong home records and local knowledge.
Others such as Hatton, Rose, Meronk, and recent Tour winners (Lawrence, Dean) bring momentum.
Betting Trends
Spanish players and those familiar with the venue often outperform expectations.
Accurate ball-strikers and strong iron players thrive on the tree-lined layout.
Favorites have historically performed well, but the field depth creates opportunities for mid-range prices.
First-round leaders and each-way plays on home talent or recent form players are popular angles.
Weather supports scoring, so look for aggressive approaches early.
