The final day of this Andalucía Costa del Sol Match Play 9 started yesterday with the quarterfinals at 8:00. The Frenchman Robin Sciot-Siegrist, the Finn Oliver Lindell, the Irishman Gavin Moynihan, the Swede Marcus Kinhult and the Englishmen Aaron Rai, Tom Murray, Matthew Baldwin and Charlie Ford went all out. Eight contenders played match play over nine holes for the title in an innovative and very attractive tournament.
Rai, winner this season of the first event of the Challenge Tour calendar in Kenya in March, arrived at La Cala Resort as second in the Road to Oman. With this victory he is at the top of the table, overtaking the American Julian Suri. Now he is also closer to the European Tour card. If a player wins three Challenge Tour tournaments in the same season, he gets the card to play the best circuit in Europe from the week after the victory, as well as for the following season. Rai, who already has two victories, is one title away from joining the exclusive group of players who have achieved this goal.
Until today, it is made up of 10 players, including the Spaniard Nacho Elvira, who achieved it in 2015.156 players have competed this week in Mijas. The first two days have been played 36 holes stroke medal play. Already the weekend only the best 32 have fought for the title in match play matches over 9 holes. An innovative format that allowed the players to play a different, more aggressive and spectacular golf. The fans who have passed through La Cala Resort have had a great time. In addition, the course has been perfect for this modality, as commented by the players themselves.
The bottom line: a great week of golf with a first class winner.Awards ceremony and final photo Match Play 9 at La Cala ResortAfter the competition, the awards ceremony was held, in which the attendees thanked the efforts of all those who made the tournament possible.
The event was attended by Mr. José María Zamora, Deputy Director of the Challenge Tour; Mr. Pablo Mansilla, President of the Royal Andalusian Golf Federation; Mr. Ken Flockhart, General Manager of La Cala Resort; Ms. María José Rienda, General Director of Activities and Promotion of Sport of the Andalusian Government; Mr. Manuel Cardeña, CEO of Acosol; Ms. Julia Álvarez Toledo, Director of Institutional Communication and Press of Tourism and Planning Costa del Sol; Ms. Fuensanta Lima, Councillor of the Andalusian Golf Federation; Ms. Fuensanta Lima, Councillor of Tourism and Planning Costa del Sol. Manuel Cardeña, Managing Director of Acosol; Mrs. Julia Álvarez de Toledo, Director of Institutional Communication and Press of Tourism and Planning Costa del Sol; Mrs. Fuensanta Lima, Councillor of Tourism of Mijas Town Hall; and Nuria Rodríguez, Councillor of Sports of Mijas Town Hall.
The Andalucía Costa del Sol Match Play 9 is one of the two events of the Challenge Tour to be held in Spain throughout 2017 along with the Challenge of Spain. The tournament has had the main support of Turismo Andaluz, Turismo y Planificación Costa del Sol, Acosol, the Royal Spanish Golf Federation and the Royal Andalusian Golf Federation. It also has the support of the Consejo Superior de Deportes, and collaborate Reale, Solan de Cabras, Titleist, Kyocera, Ping, Holiday Golf Estates, Callaway. JGolf18.0 is the organizer of the event.
La Cala Resort Golf is one of the most important golf resorts in Andalusia. It has three 18-hole golf courses designed by Cabell Robinson, an academy located next to the six-hole par three course. It also includes a soccer field and sports facilities according to FIFA technical specifications. It is the only one of its kind with an 8-kilometer running circuit. The hotel has 107 rooms, three themed restaurants and a Spa with more than 1,300 square meters, among other services.
{gallery}La Cala Challenge{/gallery}
Leave a Reply