Jorge Villavecchi, CEO of Estrella Damm, presents the trophy to Yurav Premlall.
Yurav Premlall capped off a dream tournament at RCG El Prat on Sunday, dominating the final round of the Estrella Damm Catalunya Championship with a 63 (-9) to finish at 260 total strokes (-28). He shattered the field, securing a staggering 14-stroke lead over runner-up Shaun Norris (-14), his compatriot, falling just one shot short of Tiger Woods’ all-time record.
The young South African, who had already amazed everyone with a 63 on Saturday, showed no signs of nerves on the decisive day. From the very first shot, he was unstoppable, carding six birdies on the front nine alone, making it clear the tournament was his from the start.
On the back nine, with his first DP World Tour victory already secured, he only stumbled once—a bogey on the 14th hole, his only blemish of the day. The rest was a walk in the park for this prodigy, who ended up breaking multiple records.
**A Historic 14-Stroke Margin**
His final score of 260 strokes gave him a 14-stroke advantage over second-placed Shaun Norris. Premlall soaked in the adoration of the crowd as he walked down the 18th fairway, a smile never leaving his face, before being doused in water by his DP World Tour peers in celebration of his maiden European tour win.
The 14-stroke margin is the largest in the history of a regular tournament on any tour, surpassed only by Tiger Woods’ 15-stroke victory at the 2000 US Open. The previous second-largest margin was also by a South African, Ernie Els, who won the 2005 Asian Open by 13 strokes—a mark Premlall has now eclipsed at RCG El Prat.
“I have no words,” said an emotional Premlall on the 18th green. “I’ve worked incredibly hard to get to this position, and it’s so rewarding to finally see the results.” The young star tallied 33 birdies, three bogeys, and one double bogey over the week.
“The last eight or nine months have been a constant struggle to build a platform that would give me the chance to win and obviously get to this position. It’s a dream come true,” he added, noting that it was Mother’s Day back home. “At least it’s a Mother’s Day gift! Happy Mother’s Day, Mom! And yes, for my dad—we worked very hard to get here,” he said happily, now leaving anonymity behind on the world golf stage.
**Alejandro Del Rey Shines**
In the final standings, Spain’s Alejandro del Rey delivered an outstanding performance, finishing third with 275 strokes (-13) after a final round of 68 (-4). He tied with South African JC Ritchie and Frenchman Oihan Guillamoundeguy. Del Rey recorded his best result of the season, following an eighth-place finish at the China Open.
Canary Islander Rafa Cabrera Bello posted the best round of the day after the winner, a 66 (-6), which earned him a tie for sixth place alongside four other players.
