Champ ready for Italian job

Watch all four rounds of the Italian Open live on Sky Sports. Coverage starts on Thursday at 10.30am on SS1

Last updated: 7th May 2008

gonzalez castano

Fernandez-Castano: Celebrates 2007 win in style

Related links

News

Also see

Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano admits he is relishing the prospect of returning to Italy to defend his Italian Open title.

European Tour stats package

The Spaniard claimed his third European Tour title when he came from five shots back at the start of the final round to ultimately pip Austrian Markus Brier at the second play-off hole twelve months ago.

That victory prompted memorable scenes of celebration when Fernandez-Castano was thrown into the swimming pool at the Castello di Tolcinasco Golf and Country Club, still clutching the trophy, by his compatriots on tour.

The 27-year-old has endured a rather lean season to date - a fifth-placed finish in Portugal at the beginning of April apart - but is hopeful a return to Italy will help him rediscover his best form.

"I actually hadn't been playing all that well last season before I won but I think a large part of the reason that I did was because I just love coming to Italy," he told the European Tour's official website.

"I have a lot of good friends here and I think we all enjoyed it and had a great week with great food, a great course and great people.

"It is such a superb tournament with such a long tradition, that I could not have been happier to have won.

"It felt wonderful at the time and I am very much looking forward to coming back and trying to successfully defend the title."