From 1988 to 2011 the tournament attracted some of the biggest names in the game and has an honour roll that includes Seve Ballesteros (three times), Miguel Angel Jimenez (twice), Sergio Garcia and Jose Maria Olazabal.

Darren Clarke also claimed the trophy in 2011 just two months before his historic victory in The Open.

DEFENDING CHAMPION: Denmark’s Jeff Winther claimed a maiden victory in 2021 but in one of the more unusual wins of the year.

The 34-year-old almost missed his Sunday tee time after he and his wife got locked in the bathroom at their hotel the morning of the final round.

A broken door handle meant they were unable to get out of the room though the couple’s

six-year-old daughter managed to alert hotel staff to the situation and help soon arrived.

Despite the drama Winther went on to card a final round of even par to take the title by a stroke from Sebastian Soderberg and local hopes Jorge Campillo and Pep Angles.

RIGHT: Jeff Winther nearly didn't make his Sunday tee time last year but still walked away with the trophy. PHOTO: Manuel Queimadelos/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images.

COURSE: The Son Muntaner course is one of three on site at the Arabella Golf and Spa Resort on the Balearic Island and hosts the event for the first time this year.

Opened in 2001, the course is the work of German architect Kurt Rossknecht and is laid out over undulating land featuring several ponds.

As host to resort guests most of the year there is generally plenty of width from the tee though the well bunkered greens demand precise approach play even for golfers of this level.

Long for the average player at 6,400 metres that won’t be an issue for this week’s field particularly with several holes featuring elevated tee shots.

The neighbouring Son Vida course has twice hosted this tournament, Seve Ballesteros taking the title in 1990 and Barry Lane in 1994, both with scores of 19-under-par.

Son Muntaner is generally regarded as a more difficult scoring course though with advances in technology since those distant tournaments it would be a fool’s errand to try to predict scoring this week.

PRIZEMONEY: EUR2,000,000

PLAYERS TO WATCH: While not quite the field strength of last week at Valderrama there is no shortage of talent teeing up in Mallorca this week.

Runaway winner Adrian Otaegui’s six stroke victory at Valderrama was as impressive as you are likely to see on a course that doesn’t generally lend itself to such low scoring.

That sort of rare form generally lasts longer than a week and while backing up a victory is historically difficult, Otaegui is in a good position to do so.

Recent winner Richie Ramsay played one of the rounds of the week on Sunday at Valderrama to jump 27 spots on the leaderboard.

The Scot has just one top-30 finish since his victory in England in July but 67 at Valderrama is no mean feat and suggests he may have found something in Spain which could hold him in good stead this week.

Denmark’s Rasmus Hojgaard has been in decent form in recent weeks with a runner-up in France and a fifth placing last week in Spain.

Already a three-time winner on the Tour the ‘younger’ of the twins (by three minutes) should find the conditions to his liking this week.

72-HOLE RECORD: 269 (-19, Seve Ballesteros 1990, Barry Lane, 1994)

PAST AUSSIE WINNERS: No Australian has won this tournament.

AUSTRALIANS IN THE FIELD: Scott Hend, Jason Scrivener and Maverick Antcliff.

TV TIMES*
Round 1: Thursday (Fox Sports 505 10.30pm – 3.30am)
Round 2: Friday (Fox Sports 505 10.30pm – 3.30am)
Round 3: Saturday (Fox Sports 505 11pm – 3.30am)
Round 4: Sunday (Fox Sports 505 10pm – 2.30am)
*AEDT, check local guides