The headquarters of the Spanish Olympic Committee has been the scene, for the sixth time in history, after the break imposed by the pandemic, of the Golf Gala 2021, where the Spanish golf family has paid tribute to the great winners of last and this season, all of them protagonists of two unforgettable years, as well as to several people who have contributed especially to the development of this sport in our country.
Gonzaga Escauriaza, President of the RFEG, sent an affectionate and emotional message to all those present, extensible to all members, clubs and institutions of Spanish golf: “Keep the illusion and desire to represent Spain, do not lose the humility and generosity that make Spanish golf so well recognized around the world”.
Gonzaga Escauriza highlighted those intangibles that explain the continued success of Spanish golfers outside our borders: “You have talent and you take advantage of the existence of a structure that works. The clubs are the real engine of our sport and the Autonomous Federations, together with the RFEG and the rest of the Spanish golf institutions, contribute to make the whole machinery work. Unity, enthusiasm and talent, that is the key to success.
The Spanish Golf Gala has also claimed the next celebration of the Solheim Cup in Finca Cortesin in September 2023, which hosts our country for the first time in history. The physical presence of the trophy throughout the ceremony on the podium and the emotional speech of Alicia Garrido, executive director of Deporte & Business, promoters of the competition, had a special place during the celebration of Spanish golf.
The Spanish Golf Gala also served to present the Medals and Plaques for Merit in Golf, a total of nine awards that have fallen, in the Gold category, to Francisco Lafita, Hilario Castanedo and Diego Molina.
Ernesto Fernández-Gamboa and María Dinesen, Silver Medals of Merit in Golf, and representatives of the City Council of San Roque and the Golf Clubs of Pals, Bellavista and Golf Park, to collect the Plaque of Merit in Golf, were also protagonists of the Spanish Golf Gala.
.
Dozens of sporting awards
In the purely sporting field, trophies were presented in recognition of the dozens of golfers who have achieved international victories throughout 2020 and 2021, both in amateur and professional competitions, with special mention for the historic victory of Jon Rahm in the U.S. Open and his status as number 1 in the World Ranking.
In the amateur field, the valuable medals obtained in different high-level competitions have been highlighted, such as, in 2020, the double by Jacobo Cestino and María de Orueta in the European Senior Men’s and Women’s Individual Championship, or the victory of José Luis Ballester in the Copa S. M. El Rey, which confirmed him as one of the young golfers with the greatest projection.
In that year 2020, and despite the restrictions imposed by the pandemic, there were also eleven victories in the professional field, a very significant number given the complicated circumstances, led by Jon Rahm’s double PGA Tour title -at The Memorial and BMW Championship-, well escorted by the first places of Sergio García, Miguel Ángel Jiménez, Jorge Campillo, Adrián Otaegui and a long etcetera.
The path of triumph has been strongly resumed in 2021, where the Spaniards have once again shone with great force outside our borders. Four gold medals and one silver medal in European Championships in different categories -U16 Individual, U18 Women’s Team, Senior Women’s Team, Adapted Golf Individual and U16 Team- are the proof of the good performance of the Spanish in events of the highest level.
All this without forgetting the important triumphs of Carla Bernat in the Copa S. M. La Reina, Paula Martín in the Women’s International of Spain Stroke Play, the contribution to the victory in the Jacques Leglise Trophy, the Ping Junior Solheim Cup or the Junior Vagliano Trophy at the hands of Jaime Montojo, Cayetana Fernández and Andrea Revuelta or the dozen first places of Spanish golfers in prestigious tournaments of the North American University League.
The final highlight of the Golf Gala was reserved for the eight Spaniards who have lifted the winner’s trophy in twelve tournaments of the different Professional Tours throughout a spectacular season, where Jon Rahm’s victory at the US Open and his consolidation as number 1 in the World Ranking stand out above all, the participation of Carlota Ciganda in the European victory in the Solheim Cup or the spectacular performance of Rafael Cabrera-Bello and the aforementioned Carlota Ciganda to win the Acciona Open de España Masculino and the Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España Femenino, the first time in history that two Spanish golfers have won the Open de España in the same year.
Leave a Reply