The Malaga club hosts the final race of the Race to Costa del Sol, the ranking of the Ladies European Tour
The southern route of the club, designed by Javier Arana, hosts for the second time this transcendental professional tournament
The competition will take place between 26 and 29 November
The Real Club de Golf Guadalmina, located in the town of San Pedro de Alcántara, Malaga, will once again host the Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España with the still vivid memory of the spectacular victory of Azahara Muñoz (first of a Spanish woman in the national open) in the 2017 edition held at its facilities. On this occasion, this competition to be held between 26 and 29 November will serve as a magnificent finale to the Race to Costa del Sol, the order of merit of the Ladies European Tour, and will feature a spectacular prize pool of 600,000 euros.
The Andalucia Costa del Sol Open de España, which is mainly sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism, Regeneration, Justice and Local Administration of the Junta de Andalucia, Tourism and Planning Costa del Sol and Acosol – Commonwealth of Municipalities of the Western Costa del Sol, will be hosted by a club that recently celebrated its 60th anniversary and that, once again, is dressed up to host the tournament. The Real Club de Golf Guadalmina is a magnificent example of the quality offered by the courses in Andaluia and the Costa del Sol, one of the most important destinations in Europe, and becomes the stage where the Race to Costa del Sol will be closed, the ranking of the Ladies European Tour that has adopted this new and attractive name.
“We have very fresh in our memory the 2017 edition of the Spanish Open that was played in Guadalmina. It was the perfect Open in terms of course, weather, result… To have Azahara Muñoz and Carlota Ciganda fighting for the title, which Azahara finally won in front of her own, was incredible. In fact, it was one of the reasons that led us to think about organizing a new Spanish Open,” explains Ignacio del Cuvillo, director of the Real Club de Golf Guadalmina. “The Women’s Open of Spain in Guadalmina is a wonderful challenge and the club has been very involved in this initiative. In addition, we must thank all our members, both national and foreign (from 17 different nationalities) for their support and generosity, as they gladly give up the course after enjoying a wonderful experience at the Spanish Women’s Open in 2017”.
The marked character of the southern course, a design by the renowned Javier Arana remodelled by Stirling & Martin that combines beauty and difficulty, returns to test some Ladies European Tour golfers who would do well not to trust the favourable statistics of 2017. If that year the Spanish Open became a prolific tournament in terms of good results (and its participants broke records by adding a total of 1271 birdies and 35 eagles throughout the four days of competition, the maximum in both statistics in an edition of the Spanish Open), the preparation of the course and its location in the calendar will make the players meet an even more demanding rival.
Although the fairways are deceptively wide and there are hardly any water hazards, the trees become decisive elements from the starting tee and add to the difficulty offered by the par 3 course, especially if the wind accompanies it.
“The facilities on the southern course are ideal for women’s play and this was recognized by the participants of the 2017 Open. The course is very playful, spectacular and at the same time comfortable to walk on. It can offer two faces: the most complicated and the most entertaining”, says Del Cuvillo. “We’ve done a lot of improvement work over the last two years, especially in terms of beautification and aesthetics by extending the platforms of the tees, and by November the course will be in perfect condition. If one of those wonderful weeks typical of this area in terms of weather comes out, it will be a magnificent showcase for the Costa del Sol and Andalucia”.
Thanks to its situation as the last event on the Ladies European Tour calendar and its reinforced prize pool, the Andalusia Costa del Sol Women’s Open has all the incentives to bring together the best players on the circuit and become a must for golf fans. The great role of Spanish professionals in the international arena and the recent memory of their successes will undoubtedly be a great magnet for all those who are considering visiting the area at the end of November. It will be the seventh time in the history of this tournament that the Costa del Sol will host a Spanish Women’s Open after those played at Flamingos in 2010, La Quinta in 2011 and 2018, Aloha Golf in 2016 and 2019, and Guadalmina in 2017.
The president of Tourism Costa del Sol, Francisco Salado, has highlighted the importance for the Costa del Sol to hold this event of such importance in the world of golf, “an event that again highlights the commitment of the destination for women’s golf, while showing that the Costa del Sol is a safe destination that is ready to receive all golfers both nationally and internationally, with golf courses that have adapted and with some professionals who continue to work for the Costa del Sol remains a leading destination for this segment.
For its celebration, the support of the Regional Ministry of Tourism, Regeneration, Justice and Local Administration of the Junta de Andalucía, Tourism and Planning Costa del Sol and Acosol – Commonwealth of Municipalities of the Western Costa del Sol has been essential. All of them are aware of the importance of golf for national and foreign tourists who choose the Costa del Sol and are conscious of its invaluable work in promoting sports and tourism.
It is possible to follow the news of the Andalusia Costa del Sol Women’s Open on the web openfemenino.com, on the Twitter account @Openfemenino, on Instagram en @spanishopen and on the Facebook page @openfemenino.
Title Sponsors:
Ministry of Tourism, Regeneration, Justice and Local Administration of the Junta de Andalucía, Tourism and Planning Costa del Sol, Acosol-Mancomunidad de Municipios de la Costa del Sol Occidental.
Main sponsors:
Marbella City Council and Benahavis City Council.
Institutional sponsors:
Royal Spanish Golf Federation, Royal Andalusian Golf Federation, Real Club de Golf Guadalmina, Consejo Superior de Deportes and Universo Mujer.
Collaborating companies:
Kyocera, Solán de Cabras and Audi Safamotor.
Promoter:
Sports & Business
About the Andalusian Ministry of Tourism
Andalusia is one of the most complete tourist destinations in the world, with a diverse and quality offer that satisfies foreign and national tourists alike. Furthermore, Andalusia is an international reference in golf tourism. Its unbeatable climate allows you to practice this sport all year round in more than a hundred courses located in privileged areas, with beautiful landscapes or close to paradisiacal beaches.
www.andalucia.org
About Tourism and Planning Costa del Sol
Its more than 70 courses have turned the province of Malaga and the Costa del Sol into the first destination in Europe in terms of golf offerings, hence it is known as the Costa del Golf. Few places like the Costa del Sol bring together so many attractions in the same destination, because the province not only offers a magnificent infrastructure for the practice of this sport, but also a privileged climate that allows the game all year round.
www.visitacostadelsol.com
About Acosol
Acosol is the public company belonging to the Community of Municipalities of the Western Costa del Sol that manages the integral water cycle, within its geographical scope, as a vital and essential service for citizens, working to guarantee supply and sanitation. Acosol is committed to the environment, collecting, transporting, treating and regenerating waste water, thus contributing to the preservation of water resources and leading initiatives at provincial, regional and national level. Furthermore, Acosol stands out for the work it carries out in the irrigation of golf courses through the use of recycled water.
www.acosol.es
About Real Club de Golf Guadalmina
With more than 60 years of history, Guadalmina is one of the flagship clubs of the Costa del Sol and, by extension, of Andalusia and Spain. A breeding ground for great champions, the club stands out for its magnificent facilities, its great social life and the constant renewal of its competitive teams, which have produced players of the calibre of Azahara Muñoz, Noemí Jiménez, Laura Gómez and Laura Cabanillas. With two 18-hole courses (including the southern course, designed by Javier Arana, which will host the Spanish Women’s Open) and an attractive Pitch & Putt, the Real Club de Golf Guadalmina is the regular venue for all the events of the year.