Spain will host this year six tournaments of the European professional golf circuits, and the starting signal is given tomorrow with the Estrella Damm Mediterráneo Ladies Open at Terramar Golf Club in Sitges.
The event is one of the two that the Ladies European Tour (LET) has scheduled for our country this year and precedes the Andalucía Costa del Sol to be played at the Real Club de Golf Guadalmina (Marbella) from September 21 to 24.
Only one tournament of the men’s European Tour will be played in Spain in 2017: the Andalucía Valderrama Masters (supported by the Sergio García Foundation) from October 19 to 22. The European Challenge Tour will also visit the Costa del Sol and will do so with premiering a new competition format, with the Andalucía Costa del Sol Matchplay 9; while the annual Challenge of Spain will be played from September 28 to October 1 on a course yet to be confirmed.
Finally, the Access Series (LETAS), satellite circuit of the Ladies European Tour, lands at Spain this summer with the Ribeira Sacra World Heritage International Ladies Open at Augas Santas Balneario & Golf Resort from July 12-14. This course in Galicia has hosted LETAS tournaments since 2013, when Spain’s Mireia Prat won her first title as a professional at the then Ocho Golf Ladies Open.
Back on the LET, Carlota Ciganda, Azahara Muñoz, Anna Nordqvist, Karine Icher, Melissa Reid, Gwladys Nocera and former undisputed world number one Annika Sorenstam, this year’s European Solheim Cup team captain, are at Terramar this week for the inaugural Estrella Damm Mediterranean Open.
“It’s great to be here,” Sorenstam said. “I haven’t been to Spain since my amateur career, so to be part of this tournament in its first year with Marta (Figueras-Dotti), one of my vice-captains, who is the host, is fantastic. This is the first LET tournament I come to explore the talent here. We are getting closer to the Solheim Cup, only four months away, so I am watching the players and catching up. There are a lot of reasons to be here and I’m very excited. It’s a really nice place , with these views out to sea. It’s great for the LET to be at Terramar and we hope for a great crowd and that we repeat here for many years to come.
“This tournament is very special because we have worked very hard to make this happen and it is linked to my family and it means a lot to me to be able to support women’s golf at a national level,” added Figueras-Dotti, official ambassador of the event. level. The best golfers are here and it’s a great opportunity to enjoy their game live. There are a lot of activities going on, it’s going to be a lot of fun and you have the best beer in the world!
Nordqvist is the European leader in the world ranking, occupying the tenth position, after her recent victory in the Bank of Hope Founders Cup in the United States, although Ciganda, world number 21, will also start among the favorites, having won twice in 2016. ” It’s always nice to be here with all the Spanish people, ” Ciganda said. “My parents are coming tonight and a lot of friends and family are coming for the weekend. It’s always nice to play here with the local fans. I didn’t know this course and it’s in great shape. Alicia and Inigo, the promoters (Deporte & Business), always do a great job with these tournaments. I am happy to be here and play this week.
“I’m going to try to have fun and display my best game. I would love to win here in Spain, but I’m not going to go crazy thinking about it. I’ve played the course and I think it’s pretty simple from tee to green. I think I’m going to make a lot of birdies, so I’m hoping to get low scores and see what happens on the weekend.”
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