All gain, no pain for Spain

6/8/2010

News that the winner and runner-up from two of Andalucía’s other big European Tour events will win a place in next year’s Volvo World Match Play Championship gives national and regional golf a massive shot–in-the-arm.

The World Match Play Championship already enjoys a strong Spanish synthesis, the irrepressibleSeve Ballesteros have won the coveted crown on no fewer than five occasions and never lost in a final.

 Last year, the event moved to Finca Cortesín, certainly Spain’s and Europe’s finest golf resort, quite possibly the best in the world and another great Spaniard, Sergio García qualified for the Spanish showpiece.

 But now, under a new deal struck between Volvo, the European Tour and the Real Federación Española de Golf and Real Federación Andaluza de Golf, the winner and runner-up in both the inaugural Andalucía Masters at the end of October and the Andalucía Open next spring will also qualify for a place in the Volvo World Match Play Championship line-up.

 Said Per Ericsson, President, Volvo Event Management (Golf), “Volvo has enjoyed a long and mutually-beneficial relationship with Spain in general and Andalucía in particular since 1988 and we are delighted to lend a helping hand to the new Andalucía Masters in October as having two places up for grabs in the Volvo World Match Play Championship should help attract a strong field, and the same goes for next year’s Andalucía Open.”

 Speaking on behalf of Spanish golf, Gonzaga Escauriaza, Pressidente, Federación Española de Golf, said, “Of course, this is great news for golf in Spain and will add even greater prestige to the two fine events in Andalucía this autumn and next spring.”

 And the roll of honour of the Open de Andalucía de Golf suggests a star name or two will be added to the Volvo World Match Play Championship mix, past champions including European number one, Lee Westwood, French star Thomas Levet and the winner of the 21^st and final Volvo Masters Søren Kjeldsen from Denmark.

 The inaugural Andalucía Masters takes place at Club de Golf, Valderrama, which hosted 16 of the 21 editions of the Volvo Masters from 28^th – 31^st October 2010, whilst the Andalucía Open is traditionally the first European Tour event on European soil each year at the end of March.

 The Volvo World Match Play Championship, the 46^th edition of world golf’s longest-running professional match play event takes place at Finca Cortesín in Spain from 19^th – 22^nd May 2011.

 www.europeantour.com / www.golfspainfederacion.com / www.golf-andalucia.com

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