Signature of the month
Some of golf’s most compelling figures are not featured in “The Major Quest”. Some of them have never actually won a major. And they don’t need a major trophy to be considered a legend of the game. They built their legacies on longevity, consistency, grit, and moments that fans still talk about today.
The Signature of the Month shines a light on players who deserve recognition for their achievements and contribution to the game. We are highlighting the well-established names as well as the rising stars. Here, I share the stories behind my encounters with these players, explore their place in golf’s history or future, and describe what it was like to add their signature to the collection.
Earlier this year we featured the Jutanugarn sisters, and it is always a bit special to get two siblings on the same cap. This month it is the turn of two brothers from Spain, Nacho and Manuel Elvira, who both play on the DP World Tour.
Nacho, the older of the two, played college golf at Texas A&M before turning professional, and he has built a solid career the hard way. He claimed his first DP World Tour title at the 2021 Cazoo Open at Celtic Manor in Wales, beating Justin Harding in a play-off. He added the Soudal Open in Belgium in 2024 and then, in January 2026, the Dubai Invitational at Dubai Creek, winning by one shot to become a three-time DP World Tour winner.
Manuel earned his DP World Tour card in 2023 after three runner-up finishes on the Challenge Tour. He is still waiting for his first professional win, and this September 2026 he came agonizingly close. At the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, the DP World Tour’s flagship event, Manuel shared the 54-hole lead with Filippo Celli. In the final round he eagled the par-5 17th and stood on the 18th tee (par-5) needing a birdie to win and a par to force a play-off. Unfortunately, he recorded a double bogey 7. “Devastating,” as Manuel described it himself afterwards. Nacho had been watching, and the two brothers walked off the 18th green together. A painful way to lose, but a week that showed Manuel’s first win may not be far away.
I got both signatures on the same cap at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship in November 2025, the same tournament where I collected Tommy Fleetwood’s signature (August’s 2026 Signature of the Month). Manuel signed on the left side of the cap, while Nacho’s signature is on the right. Two brothers, both playing at the highest level of European golf, on one cap. After what happened at Wentworth, I suspect this one will only become more special once Manuel gets that first win.
October 2026 – The Elvira Brothers
