The headquarters of the Spanish Olympic Committee was the setting for the 2017 Golf Gala, where the Spanish golf family paid tribute to the great winners of the season, all of them protagonists of an unforgettable year, as well as to various people who have made a special contribution to the development of this sport in our country.
The 2017 Spanish Golf Gala served to first express sincere recognition to the eleven recipients of the Gold Medals of Merit in Golf for various relevant performances in all sectors of this sport: Rafael Cabrera-Bello, Jaime Salaverri, Rafael Nebreda, Eduardo Bergé, Javier Benjumea and the six winners of the 2017 European Team Championship: Adriá Arnaus, Ángel Hidalgo, Javier Sainz, Manuel Elvira, Alejandro del Rey and Víctor Pastor.
Also received on stage were the representatives of the entities awarded with the Golf Merit Plaque for their contribution to the growth and development of our sport: the golf clubs of La Peñaza, Ulzama, Vallromanes and Pula Golf, as well as the television production company La Nuez.
With these distinctions, awarded after previous proposals sent to the Honors Committee, the RFEG has rewarded this group of people and institutions that have distinguished themselves over the past years for their support and promotion of golf both within and outside our borders.
The protagonists of an unforgettable 2017
And, of course, tribute was paid to the professional golfers who have made 2017 a spectacular year in terms of quantity and quality of titles: Jon Rahm, Rafael Cabrera-Bello, Álvaro Quirós, Adrián Otaegui, Azahara Muñoz, Santiago Luna, Miguel Ángel Jiménez, Carlota Ciganda, Pedro Oriol, Sebastián García, Adriá Arnaus, Luna Sobrón… and, of course, the brand new champion of The Masters, Sergio García.
Likewise, the amateur players who have kept our sport in a privileged place in the international ranking were also honored at the Spanish Golf Gala.
Thus, the brilliant Junior World Champions – Blanca Fernandez, Elena Arias and Dimana Viudes – were called to receive the deserved applause as well as the first Spanish winner in the British Senior Ladies Championship, Macarena Campomanes, the aforementioned six gold medalists in the Absolute Men’s European Team Championship, the silver medalists in the U18 Men’s European Team Championship -Alejandro Aguilera, Eugenio López-Chacarra, Ignacio Montero, Gonzalo Leal, Borja Martín, and Eduard Rousaud- or the brand new winner of the Mid Amateur European Championship, Carlos de Corral.
Other golfers such as Luis Montojo -winner of the Spanish International Under 18-; Adrián Mata, first in the Grand Prix of Chiberta; Casilda Castillejo and María Trallero, winners of the Spanish International Senior Doubles; Ana Peláez, winner of the Columbus Regional in the American University League; and Ane Urchegui, captain in the Junior Vagliano Trophy where Blanca Fernández also participated, were also part of the list of honorees.
The successes achieved in the specialty of Pitch & Putt by players of the solvency of Luis Montero, Felipe Agustín Martin, Thomas Artigas and Juan Fernández-Ardavín, with special mention for the silver medal of the former in the World Pitch & Putt Championship, and the silver medal, also silver, of the Spanish team integrated by Juan Postigo, Antonio Llerena, Francisco Centeno and Andrés Pintado in the European Adapted Golf Championship completed an absolutely triumphant Spanish Golf Gala.
María Victoria Cabezas, Secretary General of the Spanish Olympic Committee, was in charge of welcoming all those present and praising the performance of Spanish golf in a 2017 that will go down in the annals of history.
Gonzaga Escauriaza, president of the RFEG, highlighted his gratitude to all the entities that make up Spanish golf and, especially, to the members of the federation, without whose contribution neither the achievement of these sporting successes nor the promotion of dozens of federative actions in favor of the common good would be possible.
Finally, Jaime González Castaño, General Director of Sports of the Superior Sports Council, alluded to the need to recognize the effort and talent of the golfers in Galas such as this one, while stressing the importance of all the triumphs achieved throughout an unforgettable season.
Leave a Reply