Today it was made public that Estrella Damm, the Mediterranean beer brewed with 100% natural ingredients, will be the new title sponsor of the Andalucía Masters for the next five years. Sergio García, champion of the 2017 Augusta Masters, will continue to lead the tournament in this new era and confirmed that he will return to defend the title and once again act as host through his Foundation. He will be joined on the tournament’s roster by, among others, Jon Rahm, teammate in the 2018 Ryder Cup.
Thanks to this new addition, the prize money of the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters – Sergio García Foundation will reach three million euros, an increase of one million compared to 2018.
The tournament, which will be played at Real Club Valderrama, is also sponsored by the Junta de Andalucía, and will occupy a new place on the European Tour’s summer calendar between June 27 and 30, 2019.
“It is a real honor that one of the main tournaments of the European Tour bears the name of Estrella Damm, our flagship brand, which will contribute to the internationalization of the company, one of the pillars of our strategic plan. In addition, it is a privilege that it will be held in the incomparable setting of the Real Club Valderrama,” said Jorge Villavecchia, CEO of Damm.
“Damm has sport in its DNA, so sponsoring the tournament not only demonstrates the company’s commitment to golf, but also Damm’s commitment to sport and society,” Villavecchia concluded.
For his part, Keith Pelley, CEO of the European Tour, said: “We are proud to partner with some of the most prestigious and powerful companies around the world, and Estrella Damm fits that description. We thank them for supporting the European Tour and for joining the efforts of the Junta de Andalucía and, of course, Valderrama”.
“To secure the presence of a European Tour tournament for the next five years at one of the best courses in the world is spectacular.”
“Tribute must also be paid to Sergio Garcia and not only for his talent inside the ropes, given that he will return this year as defending champion, but also for his commitment to the tournament outside the ropes through his wonderful foundation.”
“Players like Sergio and Jon Rahm emerge, of course, thanks to the Royal Spanish Golf Federation, which has done a fantastic job over the years to promote golf, develop the Spanish youth and get them to reach the highest levels. Right now there are seven Spanish players in the top 60 of the Race to Dubai and we hope that this trend continues”.
Manuel Muñoz, general secretary for Tourism of the Junta de Andalucía, emphasized the weight of the Andalusian community in the European golf scene, both in terms of tourism and sports: “Andalusia is once again a leading destination in the golf segment, a reference for this sport in southern Europe. Our community is the preferred destination for golfers traveling to Spain and the Andalucía Masters, which we have supported from the beginning, has been key to this”.
Viscount de Pereira Machado, president of Real Club Valderrama, added: “We are delighted to welcome Estrella Damm to our tournament at Real Club Valderrama. We have made a great effort to make the tournament one of the best on the European Tour calendar and we have no doubt that this agreement will allow us to grow the event.”
“I would like to thank Estrella Damm for their commitment and the European Tour for sharing with us the passion to improve the tournament with all of us who are part of Valderrama. We would also like to show our deepest gratitude to Andalucía for its invaluable and long-standing support, and to our partner Sergio García for getting involved through his foundation.”
“We look forward to welcoming players and fans from around the world to Valderrama in June. Our golf course will offer an impeccable presentation and will be a challenge for the best players in the world”.
The president of the Consejo Superior de Deportes, María José Rienda, highlighted the importance of public-private collaboration and the help given by companies to Spanish sport: “They are linked to sport and its values and make it great. For us it is very important that it is an Event of Exceptional Public Interest, something we have worked hard on. The big sporting events that come to Spain help us to boost the economy, industry, tourism and everything that surrounds sport. And they also allow us to have great athletes, who help us to increase the sports base and the fans”.
The link between Estrella Damm and sports dates back to the company’s beginnings in 1876. Since then, the brand has been very present in the sports field through numerous initiatives and collaborating with national and international sports organizations and events. It was at the end of the nineties when Damm decided to bet on golf, first supporting its practice at amateur level -through clubs throughout Spain-, and then, in 2017, making the leap to professional golf, with the Estrella Damm Mediterranean Ladies Open, a professional women’s tournament integrated in the Ladies European Tour in which the main golfers of the old continent meet.
The Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters – Sergio García Foundation returned to the European Tour calendar in 2017 after a six-year hiatus and García became involved in the tournament through his foundation, created in 2002 with the aim of contributing to the social inclusion of economically disadvantaged children and young people, through social assistance benefits and the practice of sport as a leisure time activity.
After becoming the first Spaniard to win a stroke play tournament at Real Club Valderrama thanks to his hard-fought victory in the 2011 edition, the 2017 Masters champion and Ryder Cup record holder extended his idyll with the venue by taking the title for the second time on the event’s return to the European Tour’s international calendar.
Last year, Garcia added to his impressive record at Valderrama by defending his success and lifting the trophy for the third time at a historic course for Spanish golf, as it was here that the legendary Seve Ballesteros led Europe to victory in the 1997 Ryder Cup.
“I’m delighted to be back at Valderrama, especially now that Jon is coming too. Coming back to win last year was like making a dream come true and I’m sure this year is going to be a very special week, especially for the Spanish fans.”
“The involvement of our foundation makes the tournament even more special, and we hope to raise more funds for those in need. With Jon’s presence, the presence of other players who will be on this year’s roster and with all the new things that are being announced, the tournament is going to grow significantly. It’s going to be an awesome week.
Garcia will be joined by Jon Rahm, current world number eleven, who made his professional debut in Spanish dream in the 2017 edition of the tournament and who, despite missing the cut at Valderrama, dazzled local fans by taking his third European Tour title at the Open de España the following year.
“I’m really looking forward to coming back and also going to Valderrama in the summer, and that is the ideal time to visit southern Spain. It is a very important part of our country… and of the world, to tell you the truth.”
“Last time I didn’t play my best tournament and missed the cut, but this year I hope to give Sergio a fight and fight for the title.”
“We are fortunate to have two European Tour tournaments in Spain and, to a large extent, we have Sergio and his foundation to thank for one of them. I will support as much as I can. I hope we have a good week and put on a good show for the Spanish fans.”
Advance ticket sales for the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters 2019 – Sergio García Foundation are already underway, with free admission for children under 12 years old and prices from 7 € for children under 17 and 18 € for adults on the day of the pro-am. More information and ticket sales at www.andaluciavalderramamasters.com
In the photo by Fernando Herranzfrom left to right, Jaime Castellanos (vice president, Real Club Valderrama), Manuel Muñoz (secretary general for Tourism, Junta de Andalucía), María José Rienda (president, Consejo Superior de Deportes), Keith Waters (director of operations, European Tour), Gonzaga Escauriaza (president, Real Federación Española de Golf) and José María Zamora (tournament director, European Tour).
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