PREVIEW: Open de Andalucia - Wednesday, May 09, 2007

MARBELLA, Spain -- After playing a pro-am on Monday in Italy, Notah Begay III admired his new Audemars Piguet luxury Swiss watch, which he won earlier in the day. He also noticed that his right leg was feeling much better than when he withdrew from last week's Italia Open in Milan.

"The best thing about the day wasn't the watch," Notah said, "but the fact that the pain in my right leg had decreased and it looks like I can play in this week's Open de Andalucia."

While he considered heading back overseas for treatment, Notah decided to stay in Europe and work on his recovery.

"I didn't feel like retreating back the U.S. was the best thing for me at this point because I've had similar pains in the past," Notah said. "With consistent treatment and exercise they eventually subsided. I anticipate this to be the same sort of issue. All it's going to take is some time and a little bit of 'chutspah'. I certainly have plenty of both and I'm looking forward to playing in one of my favorite parts of the world...'Costa del Sol'."

The Costa del Sol (Sun Coast) is one of Spain's most popular tourist destinations and where Notah earned his European Tour playing privileges last November in Q-school at the San Roque Club and the Costa Ballena Golf Club.

This week's Spanish event is Notah's fifth Tour event in Spain, where he's never missed a cut. The Aloha Golf Club will be staging an official European Tour event for the first time.

Notah's All-Time Results in Spain (4-0 vs. the cut)
2007 - Open de EspaÃ±a, Centro National de Golf (31st tie, $21,247.5)
2006 - European Tour Q-school Final Stage, San Roque Club (6th tie, $7,761.02)
2006 - European Tour Q-school 2nd Stage, Costa Ballena GC (17th tie)
1999 - WGC-American Express Championship, Valderrama GC (46th tie, $30,250.00)

According to EuropeanTour.com, this week's field will feature "nine players with European Ryder Cup experience, five winners from The 2007 European Tour International Schedule including last week's winner Gonzalo Fernandez-CastaÃ±o, and the 1996 U.S. Open champion Steve Jones."

Be sure to check back with Notah.com to follow NB3 in his quest to earn a fifth Tour victory.