With Gonzalo’s recent successes in the European Tour, including four victories in his first four years on Tour, he has become one of the lynch pins of the Spanish assault on the international golfing world.
Gonzalo (Madrid, 13th October 1980) started playing golf at the age of three under the tutelage of his father, eventhough it was his grandfather who gave him his first ever set of clubs. He began in the Spanish Team along side Sergio García but decided to complete his MBA degree in Spain before pursuing professional status as a golfer.
He enjoyed a very successful amateur career becoming the highest ranked Spanish Amateur golfer, with a handicap of +4 becoming a prominent member of the Spanish, Continental and European amateur Teams for ten years. During this period he made several appearances in professional tournaments producing some fine performances including two top-ten finishes in PGA European Tour events.
Gonzalo turned professional after completing Stage One of the 2004 European Tour Qualifying School. He then progressed through Stage Two to the Finals at San Roque Golf Club where he secured the eighth card and his playing privileges for 2005.
In the 2005 season Gonzalo confirmed his position as one of Spain’s up and coming golfing talents. In only his first full season as a touring professional he won in his 16th appearance, the KLM Dutch Open at Hilversumsche Golf Club. In the process he earned the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year Award, following the spike marks of his fellow countrymen Sergio Garcia and Jose Maria Olazábal.
In 2006 he made a wonderful start to the season when, in April, he finished second at the Volvo China Open in Beijing. He then went one better the following week where he beat an illustrious field at the BMW Asian Open in Shanghai. These results earned him a place in his first two majors the following summer: The 133rd Open Championship at Royal Liverpool and The 88th US PGA Championship at Medinah. He also played in his first World Golf Championship event, the Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone.
2007 saw another meteoric start. In May, he added a third European Tour victory to his CV, the Telecom Italian Open. In a thrilling final round Gonzaloshot 30 on the back nine making up 7 shots on the leader to earn himself a place in the playoff where he beat Austrian Marcus Brier to claim the title.
The 2008 season, and victory number 4. Gonzalo produced an outstanding performance at the Quinn Insurance British Masters in September. It all came down to a sudden death playoff between Gonzalo and the defending champion Lee Westwood. Gonzalo claiming the win at the famous 18th hole at The Belfry.
2009 proved to be the most consistent season in Gonzalo’s professional career to date, with four 2nd place finishes (three of them in a row). These results saw him break into the top 50 in the World Rankings.
A back injury decimated the first half of the 2011 season, but Gonzalo returned stronger and fresher to take top spot at the Barclays Singapore Open that year and then the BMW Italian Open in 2012.
2013 was a great year for Gonzalo. He secured his playing privileges on the PGA Tour for the first time in his career (including his first top ten finish in a major). He finished the year in style taking his second BMW Masters title in Shanghai.
Gonzalo has his own company, GFC Golf and Business, and he joined forces with Miguel Angel Jiménez’s company – Golf Acción, to promote the Valle Romano Open de Andalucia at Aloha Golf Club in 2007 and 2008.
GFC Golf and Business also promoted the Madrid Masters from 2008 to 2011 showing that Gonzalo’s success was not just restricted to the golf course.
A true gentleman and a highly respected player Gonzalo continues to fly the flag for Spain on both the PGA and European Tours.
