“THE PLAYERS ARE GOING TO BE VERY SURPRISED WITH THE LEVEL AND PRESENTATION OF THE FIELD.”
The general manager of the Real Club Valderrama is very satisfied with the achievement of the tournament. “For us,” says Javier Reviriego, “to host a Spanish Open, which is a tournament with more than a hundred years of history and the second oldest in Europe, is a great pride. The Open de España has a great tradition, has had fantastic winners and we believe it fits perfectly with our club”.
-How was Valderrama chosen as the venue for the tournament?
-We have been working for months with the European Tour on a very ambitious project for the future. During those discussions, we were approached in January with the possibility of hosting the Open de España and we were delighted to accept. The new CEO of the ET, Keith Pelley, is making a great effort to revitalize the historic tournaments of the circuit and his vision is that they should be held on the best courses.
-What does the celebration of the Spanish Open mean for the club?
-Valderrama has hosted major professional tournaments since its inception. The Open de España has a great history and an impressive list of winners. We are a club that places great value on the history and traditions of golf and that is why the tournament fits perfectly with our values. I think it is a mistake to base the quality and prestige of a tournament only on the prize purse; history has an enormous value and it is fair to remember that the best events in the world base their prestige on their past. A tournament that dates back to 1902 deserves all the respect and this is precisely what has motivated the European Tour to make this great bet on the tournament.
-How will it affect the fact that it will be held in April?
For us it is a substantial change. We have always hosted tournaments in the fall (October) and this year it will be held in the spring. We are expecting fantastic weather that will help the course look better on television. It is true that we have not had much preparation time, but we have full confidence in Adolfo Ramos and his team. He is one of the best agronomists in the world and the course will be at a very high level.
-How will the direct involvement of Sergio Garcia through his Foundation affect the tournament?
-The European Tour is applying this model in many of its tournaments, such as with Rory McIlroy in Ireland or Ernie Els in South Africa. We all think it is a fantastic way to give prestige to the tournament and that your support will be fundamental to make it a great success. Sergio is one of the great stars of the sport, he has been in the elite of world golf for many, many years and enjoys great respect on the circuit. He will host the tournament and we will support his Foundation with a significant donation.
-It is assumed that Sergio’s presence and involvement will attract important players to the tournament?
-It is still a little early to know the players we are going to have, but I am sure Sergio will help us attract great players to the event. I have no doubt that we will have a great field; the best in recent years….
-Who provides the funding for the tournament?
-The tournament budget will be covered by the European Tour and the organization will be the responsibility of the club together with the Tour events team. We will, of course, bring all our experience in hosting major events and will do our best to attract co-sponsors.
-Have there been any changes in the course since the last European Tour tournament, the Valderrama Masters, was played here?
-Players will find a much improved course with a new presentation compared to previous years. The bunkers have been rebuilt, all the tees are completely new and a lot of work has been done on the trees on the course. We have done considerable pruning of the cork trees and I think players will now have more options when they miss fairways. Many of them will take more risks because the pruning of the branches has made it possible to present more options when looking for the green from the rough. I think the pros will be grateful for this, although they will find a very complicated course.
Valderrama is a course that continues to defend itself very well against the big hitters. You need to master all the spin, go very straight off the tee and of course have a great short game. Only the great designs manage to minimize the impact of the new material on the results; I think Valderrama is a great example of a course where precision and imagination play a much more important role than hitting. The reality is that there are very few courses like this left.
I would also highlight the new training areas; I think you are going to really enjoy the new driving range and short game area.
-Are there going to be many surprises on the 17th, will a lot of balls be wrecked next to the green?
-The 17th hole always gives a lot of play, and it will continue to do so. The greens are going to be very fast… but that’s Valderrama. We have to protect the course with fast greens, with “interesting” flag positions. All this is part of the show and the public is the one who appreciates it the most. We must never forget this.
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