It is great news for Spanish golf, which for the moment has only confirmed this tournament in the 2017 calendar, and especially for the Costa del Sol the autonomous community that hosts it and gives it its name: the Andalucía Valderrama Masters hosted by The Sergio García Foundation is back. The date, from 19 to 22 of October. The tournament returns to the best course in continental Europe six years after its second and so far last edition was held. On that occasion, Sergio García won, while the inaugural edition, in 2010, was won by Graeme McDowell.
The details of the tournament will be announced this morning at a press conference at the Real Club Valderrama in which will be present the Minister of Tourism and Sport of the Junta de Andalucía, Francisco Javier Fernández.
So far, the Andalucía Valderrama Masters hosted by The Sergio García Foundation is the only European Tour tournament confirmed on Spanish soil for 2017. The Spanish Open, which this year was played at the Real Club Valderrama, is pending funding.
LEGEND CLUB
The peak year of Real Club Valderrama was undoubtedly 1997 when the Ryder Cup was played for the first time in continental Europe, outside the British Isles. Before that, Valderrama had hosted nine editions of the Volvo Masters, which continued to be played here, and had earned the recognition of the best players. It became the number one course in Europe. For Andalusia it is a flagship, a prestigious tourist resource.
The course, which has also hosted two editions of the American Express World Championship (one was won by Tiger Woods in 1999 and the other by Mike Weir in 2000) was designed by one of the best designers in the world, Robert Trent Jones senior, who said of his work: “I think Valderrama is a classic championship course. It’s like Augusta… in conditions as good as no other course can have”.
The Valderrama challenge is limited to club members and 36 visitors a day, but it is an irresistible temptation. In a worldwide Golf Digest survey, players were asked to name the course they would play for the rest of their lives. Augusta was first, Pebble Beach second and Valderrama third.
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