The Reserva de Sotogrande Invitational, Ladies European Tour tournament sponsored by La Reserva de Sotogrande and organized by Deporte & Business to be played from 16 to 19 May, will be the first of three stops that the European women’s circuit will make in our country this 2019. The spectacular design of Cabell B. Robinson in the Cadiz resort will serve as a touchstone for the best players of the LET in a test of paramount importance to define the European team that will play this year’s Solheim Cup in Gleneagles, Scotland.
La Reserva de Sotogrande Invitational will be the first of nine tournaments on the Ladies European Tour’s international calendar to be held on European soil and another opportunity for the most outstanding golfers on the circuit to shine in a privileged setting. Nestled between the Mediterranean and the wooded foothills of the nearby hills, La Reserva Club de Sotogrande offers unique views and wide fairways, the best possible combination to put on a show.
With the sponsorship of this tournament, La Reserva de Sotogrande writes a new chapter in its historical relationship with the sport and relies on women’s golf to transmit the values that best represent this exclusive community located in the heart of the famous Sotogrande. Marc Topiol, CEO of Sotogrande S.A., referred to this during his speech at the presentation ceremony to the media that took place at the National Golf Center.
“I am delighted that we were able to reach an agreement to add a tournament to the Ladies European Tour’s annual calendar and participate in this adventure, a great complement to the initiatives we usually put in place in Sotogrande. The idea was simple: to imprint our character, given that La Reserva de Sotogrande is a family destination. It is very important for us to support women’s sports and, in particular, golf. Sotogrande, either as a destination or as the company I am honored to lead, has always been at the forefront in many ways and we are proud to create the first Ladies European Tour tournament in Sotogrande. Let’s hope it lasts a long time,” Topiol said.
Gonzaga Escauriaza, president of the RFEG, had words of thanks for the members of the presidential board and emphasized the importance of the event.
“Once again, we are delighted to offer the RFEG headquarters, which is everyone’s home, to present this new Ladies European Tour tournament, La Reserva de Sotogrande Invitational,” explained Escauriaza. “The promotion of women’s golf is a priority for us and we have to thank La Reserva for their involvement in the implementation of this great tournament, the Ladies European Tour, with Mark Lichtenheim and Marta Figueras Dotti at the helm, for making Spain the centerpiece of their calendar, and Deporte & Business for promoting the project. We are sure it will be a great success and, at the same time, a magnificent showcase for La Reserva, women’s golf and Spain”.
For his part, Mark Lichtenheim, CEO of the Ladies European Tour, stressed the media impact of the tournament and the weight that our country has in the circuit.
“We are thrilled to bring the best players in Europe to La Reserva and I would like to thank Marc Topiol and Sotogrande S.A. for making this possible. La Reserva de Sotogrande is a unique community and we want to highlight the benefits of the resort, its state-of-the-art facilities and spectacular golf course through live television and digital coverage for more than 150 countries during the four days of the tournament. Spain’s commitment to women’s golf is unparalleled and our players love coming to this hospitable country that has become their second home”.
Finally, it was the turn of Alicia Garrido, executive director of Deporte & Business, the company that organizes the three Spanish tournaments on the Ladies European Tour calendar (La Reserva de Sotogrande Invitational, Estrella Damm Mediterranean Ladies Open and Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España Femenino), as well as the Santander Golf Tour, the national women’s circuit. Garrido took advantage of her speech to break down some of the technical details of the tournament.
“The tournament will be full-field, that is, it will have 126 players, among which there will be 10 guests. It will be a four-day tournament and the weekend will be played by the 60 best and tied players, the prize money will amount to 300,000 € and we will have live television on the four days of the tournament, three hours live each day. It has meant an important effort, but we think it is essential for women’s golf to be known in those homes where it has not yet reached. This tournament, for being new and for being in La Reserva de Sotogrande, needs to have the best and we are going to work for it. The tournament is going to be at the height of the venue. It will be very exclusive and will showcase Sotogrande’s unique lifestyle,” explained Alicia Garrido.
In addition to television coverage, it will also be possible to follow the tournament on its website and on Twitter (@lareservagolf), Facebook (La Reserva Sotogrande), Instagram (@lareservasotogrande) and Youtube (La Reserva de Sotogrande Invitational).
In the picture are, from left to right: Mark Lichtenhein, Chief Executive Officer of the Ladies European Tour, Gonzaga Escauriaza, president of the Royal Spanish Golf Federation, Marc Topiol, Chief Executive Officer of Sotogrande, S.A., and Alicia Garrido, executive director of Deporte & Business.
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