“The tournament could go on for many, many years at Finca Cortesin.”
The president of Volvo Event Management (VEM), Per Ericsson, is very satisfied with this new edition of the Volvo World Match Play at Finca Cortesín, both for the setting of the tournament and for the exceptional line-up of players who took part in it.
-What is your overall impression of the tournament?
-Well, today, one day after the tournament, the feeling is very good. Of the three professional tournaments we’ve had this year, this is by far the most prestigious. It’s much easier to do a tournament the second year in the same place and I think we’ve learned a lot since then. Pretty much everything went right this time. We were lucky from the start to have this great lineup of players, because obviously it helps, and we had a great winner in the end, so I’m happy.
-Were there more viewers this year than in 2009?
-More or less the same as last year, about 20,000. This is not official yet, but until Saturday it was similar to the previous edition.
-Is that acceptable for an event as important as this one?
-Well, to be honest the number of spectators is not that important for Volvo. It’s important that it’s an attractive tournament for television because it’s mainly focused for television. Spain, unfortunately, is not an important market for Volvo, it’s not a good market at the moment. The reason we are here is because we have the best golf course and the best facilities around, so it is more geared towards television.
This has been, without a doubt, the best line-up of players that a golf tournament in Spain has ever had, but, even though this is so, do you think that some players were missing?
-The roster was not only the best there has ever been in Spain, but the best in Europe, not counting the UK, and by far. The only way it could perhaps be even a little better is if one or two of the best Americans came in. That’s probably the only way we could improve.
-This tournament is becoming very popular and is on its way to being considered a classic. How long do you think it will remain at Finca Cortesín?
-The last time we had a top-quality tournament in this area, before this one, was the Volvo Masters, and we did it for 21 years. When Volvo gets involved in something it’s for the long term. I don’t see any reason why it can’t do this for many, many years.
-Would you have liked the Junta de Andalucía and its Ministry of Tourism to have supported the tournament?
-This is a difficult question. Obviously, I think it’s very strange that they don’t do it. At the beginning I think it was a little bit difficult for people here to understand the difference between the Volvo Masters and the Volvo Match Play. I think it took a while for people to understand that this tournament, in terms of quality, is of a higher quality. This year I think everybody here has understood that, and I think that’s the reason why Turismo Andaluz, or the Junta de Andalucía, should understand that, of course, when this kind of tournament becomes so popular there are other places in the world that would like to have it. And I think it’s a bit strange that the Junta doesn’t really try to keep this tournament in the region. But it’s their choice.
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