The Aramco Team Series – Sotogrande kicked off this morning on the southern coast of Spain and brings with it three days of elite golf, plus a number of fun “innovations” that will elevate women’s golf even further.
The ATS – Sotogrande is the second tournament in a series of four Aramco Team Series events that began in London last month, passing through New York and ending in Jeddah. This week’s Sotogrande series has brought together some of the biggest names in world golf at the lush La Reserva Club golf course, where more than 100 players will compete both as teams and as individuals for various prizes totaling $1 million plus ranking points.
Among the participants are the winners of a major (beyond the Atlantic), Georgia Hall (ENG) and Paula Creamer (USA), plus Charley Hull, Lizette Salas, Bronte Law and Catriona Matthew, all of them with an eye on the Solheim Cup that starts next month. Especially European team captain Matthew, who, through a unique format via a draft, will play led by her heroine at Gleneagles 2019, Bronte Law.
The draft is just one of many factors that make the Aramco Team Series add even more excitement to the Tour. Here are just a few of the reasons why it’s worth keeping an eye on this week….
An original format, unique in the world of golf
Thirty-six teams will tee off this morning, but that doesn’t mean the Aramco Team Series – Sotogrande is a purely team event. It is a tournament in which both teams and individuals participate: the team’s best two balls on each hole over the three days of competition will be counted. While the team with the lowest combined card over the 72 years will take the lion’s share of the $800,000 team prize money, the lowest individual card will also crown a solo champion, and the top individual players will also share a $200,000 prize. Lasting just three days, the Aramco Team Series guarantees excitement from day one.
Amateurs play with professionals.
They will not compete for prize money, but each team will have one amateur golfer, who will play with handicap points this week and their scores will also count towards the team score. Simply put: it may be the case that an amateur player can sink the putt that means the three professional players will win a big cash prize and ranking points. To give anyone who wants to compete a chance, the Aramco Team Series organizes an amateur tournament before the official tournament starts. The winner in Sotogrande was Amaya Athill, 33, born in Antigua and living in London. After handing in the card she said she was “crazy about the goal”. About her participation this week she said: “It’s amazing and amazing, I’m so excited to be here! I basically spammed the tournament mailer with videos of the Soial Team Up contest, and it’s worked, so I’m really happy!”
Fun at all times
While the stakes are high, the Aramco Team Series is all about doing things differently, and that starts from the tee. In addition to competing with a mixed team of professionals and amateurs, each team will enter with the music of their choice. Over the next few days you will hear everything from Michael Jackson to Avicii, and even the Pink Panther theme. There may also be a few celebrities worth paying attention to, as former F1 driver Alex Albon and Liverpool FC defender Glen Johnson are rumored to have been training this week….
The best of Spain: now and in the future
Today’s tee-off will be an important moment for 23-year-old Ana Pelaez from Malaga, as she makes her debut as a professional, after announcing on Tuesday that she has definitely taken the plunge. Paláez is considered a real promise of women’s golf, to the point that she was chosen fourth in Tuesday’s draft, ahead of many established players on Tour. She will be accompanied in the field by a mixture of Spanish players with a long career and young promises, such as Marta Martín, Laura Gómez Ruiz, Silvia Banón, Natasha Fear, Harang Lee, María Beautell, María Hernández, Mireia Prat, Carmen Alonso, Emma Cabrera-Bello and Noemí Jiménez Martín.
And all this for free!
Leave a Reply