François Calmels with the Challenge de Madrid trophy. Picture courtesy Luis Corralo. François Calmels complete a stunning, wire-to-wire, seven-shot win in the Challenge de Madrid. But it was also a positive week for Simon Thornton and Gareth Shaw as they moved up the Challenge Tour rankings.

Despite closing with a disappointing, one over 73, Thornton’s 18th place finish in his first start of the year saw him earn €2,080 to go straight in at 54th in the money list.

Every cent is crucial on the Challenge Tour and while Shaw closed with a three over 75 for joint 35th, it was his best finish from three starts so far this year, earning him €1,072 for 57th in the rankings.

As for Calmels, the Frenchman put on one of the classiest performances of the Challenge Tour season with a brilliant final round five under par 67 to close out an emphatic seven stroke victory at El Encín Golf Hotel on 17 under par 271.

“I played so well today,” said Calmels after receiving the Challenge de Madrid trophy, and the first place cheque for €25,600, which propels him to fifth place in the Challenge Tour Rankings.

 

“I hit all the right shots and made a lot of good decisions which was really satisfying because the conditions were tough out there today.”

Final scores:

 

271 F Calmels  (Fra) 63 69 72 67;

278 T Pulkkanen  (Fin) 72 67 68 71;

279 T Nørret (Den) 67 71 67 74;

280 J Dantorp (Swe) 66 69 71 74; S Walker (Eng) 71 69 71 69; E Dubois (Fra) 69 70 68 73;

281 R Kakko  (Fin) 67 74 69 71; C Brazillier  (Fra) 69 70 69 73; S Hutsby  (Eng) 66 70 72 73; M Lampert (Ger) 70 72 67 72;

282 P Archer (Eng) 67 67 72 76; S Little (Eng) 68 75 65 74; M Korhonen (Fin) 69 72 68 73; T Pilkadaris (Aus) 69 72 69 72;

283 C Garcia Simarro (Esp) 67 72 69 75; A Velasco (Esp) 71 65 71 76; B An (Kor) 70 71 68 74;

284 S Thornton (Irl) 67 74 70 73;

285 C Aguilar  (Esp) 67 70 72 76; D Frittelli (RSA) 68 73 72 72; B Hebert  (Fra) 71 70 68 76;

286 J Barnes (Eng) 67 72 70 77; M Crespi  (Ita) 72 71 67 76; S Garcia Rodriguez (Esp) 69 68 71 78; E Johansen  (Nor) 69 73 69 75; W Besseling  (Ned) 70 74 70 72; F Bergamaschi (Ita) 70 73 68 75; M Zions (Aus) 68 72 69 77;

287 D Im (USA) 68 72 70 77; M Lorenzo-Vera  (Fra) 71 73 66 77;

288 A Levy (Fra) 69 73 73 73; P Bech (Esp) 74 69 71 74; R Davies (Wal) 66 72 75 75; A Domingo (Esp) 67 75 69 77;

289 P Erofejeff (Fin) 69 73 71 76; J McLeary  (Sco) 71 71 70 77; A Bernadet  (Fra) 70 71 72 76; G Shaw (Nir) 70 74 70 75; J Lima  (Por) 71 72 70 76; N Elvira  (Esp) 71 73 67 78;

290 M Rominger  (Sui) 68 74 76 72; A Pavan (Ita) 72 72 69 77; K Ferrie (Eng) 71 73 72 74; C Suneson (Esp) 71 72 71 76; T Hatton (Eng) 71 73 72 74; D Dixon (Eng) 70 70 74 76; R McGowan  (Eng) 71 70 76 73; S Tiley (Eng) 72 72 72 74; C Lloyd (Eng) 71 73 75 71;

291 T Sluiter  (Ned) 76 68 69 78;

292 J Maurer  (Aut) 70 73 74 75; F McGuirk  (Eng) 74 69 75 74; J Garcia  (Esp) 71 73 73 75; D Suazo  (Esp) 66 75 71 80; M Glauert (Ger) 69 74 72 77;

294 M Brier (Aut) 70 71 76 77; J Timmis (Eng) 69 75 81 69;

297 P Oriol (Esp) 73 71 77 76;

298 J Glennemo (Swe) 72 71 75 80;

300 A Perrino  (Ita) 70 73 75 82