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Date of Birth
18 October 1980
Place of Birth
San Luis, Argentina
Family
Wife Marina, Lara (2000), Rafa (2008)
Height/Weight
5' 8" 11st 4lb (173cm 72kg)
Home
Madrid, Spain
Turned Pro
1999
Exemption
European Tour Cat 8
Year
Professional Career Highlights
2006
Won Telia Challenge Waxholm (Challenge Tour)
2006
2nd San Domenico Grand Final (Challenge Tour)
2007
Won Campeanato Visa de la Republica(Challenge
Tour and Tour de la Americas)
2007
2nd TCL Classic in China
2008
T4th Celtic Manor Wales Open
2008
7th Omega European Masters
2009
Joint winner of IFQ Europe for the Open at Sunningdale
2009
2nd BMW International Open, Germany
2009
Played in Mission Hills World Cup
Year
Amateur Career Highlights
1997
Won Copa Los Andes
1997
T2nd Junior World Golf Champshionship
Age 15-17 (San Diego)
1998
Won Center Open (Argentina)
1998
Junior World Championship
Individual Title (Japan)
1997/98
Won Argentine Amateur Rankings
1999
Turned Professional
Ten things you should know about Rafa!
Favourite Sport
Motor Rally
Football Team
River Plate
Favourite Music
Loves all music!
Favourite Car
Subaru Impreza
Favourite Place
San Diego
Favourite Colour
Red
Favourite Food
Asado
Favourite Drink
Malbec
Favourite Course
Wentworth
Favourite Hobby
Relaxing with the family
Rafa had a very successful amateur career and in 1997/8 won the Argentine Amateur Rankings before turning professional in 1999. He joined the Tour de las Americas in 2001 and in the following years had 6 top ten finishes on that Tour before playing on the Challenge Tour in 2005.

After a successful year in 2006, when he won the Telia Challenge Waxholm, he graduated to the European Tour.  However, at the end of 2006 (in the playing year of 2007) he won Argentina’s National Open Championship, the Campeanato Visa de la Republica, co-sanctioned between the European Challenge Tour and the Tour de las Americas. This was a great boost to his first year on the European Tour and he soon went on to gain second place in the TCL Classic in China. He retained his card by finishing the year in 113th position in the Order of Merit.

In 2008 he moved to Madrid with his wife and daughter. This enabled him to dedicate more time to playing in Europe and at the same time see more of his family. He continued to play well and had several top ten finishes, ending the year in the 90th position in the Order of Merit. On 27 December 2008, his wife gave birth to their son, Rafa Severiano Echenique.

2009 began steadily until at the beginning of June, Rafa was joint winner of the European IFQ for The Open at Sunningdale. It was an achievement to win the qualifying and meant he played in his first ever major, The Open, which in 2009 was held at Turnberry.

A week later was a huge turning point in the year. On the final day of the BMW International in Munich Rafa shot 62 with a back nine of 27! This included an albatross on the par 5 18th hole. He finished 2nd and his albatross won the him shot of the month for June and went on to win the European Tour Shot of the Year. He completed the year by playing for Argentina in the Mission Hills World Cup, with team mate Tano Goya.

2009 was his most successful year to date on the European Tour, finishing in 78th position in the Race to Dubai rankings.