Mariano Galiano won on last season’s The Gecko Tour while still an amateur – and now he has achieved the feat as a newly minted professional. On the same course: Atalaya. It was his first win as a pro, coming just two months after he joined the paid ranks.
Born and raised in San Martín del Tesorillo (at the western end of the Costa del Sol near his home course La Cañada), Galiano enjoyed a spectacular amateur career, with multiple national and international victories and a top position of number three in the world rankings.
He was in just as stunning form in the sixth event of The Gecko season at Atalaya, carding 130 over the two rounds, closing with a 64 and winning by five from joint runners-up Gonzalo Gancedo and Jamie Dick. Swede Victor Roupe and Canadian Michael Dart finished fourth, and Sam Connor (winner at the Parador earlier in the week), Marbella’s Noemí Jiménez and Englishman Ben Robinson shared sixth.
“Apart from the win, which is always amazing,” said Galiano, “what I took home with me was how comfortable I was. I was myself on the course and I know that playing like that I’m able to bring out the best in my game.”
The seventh and eighth Gecko tournaments due to be held at Alcaidesa this week were cancelled due to the heavy rainfall and flooding suffered by the area.
