True to its international prestige, Royal Sotogrande Golf Club was once again the perfect host for the Andalucía Golf Challenge-Destination PGA Riviera Maya by Bahía Príncipe Circuit.

The dates were brought forward for this event, compared with previous years, to accommodate the club’s forthcoming schedule of activities, with major tournaments already announced and others to be unveiled.

In any case, players were able to enjoy the best possible day of golf, with an outstanding course and incomparable weather, including the absence of the area’s customary winds.

The day was rounded off with a cocktail party served at the club, its high quality being in keeping with the course itself, rated by many as the best in Spain.

The cocktail reception was followed by a prize-giving ceremony presented by director Kostka Horno and a special gifts draw.

(PHOTO GALLERY AT THE END OF THIS TOURNAMENT REPORT)  

The scratch and category one and two winners each won a place in the final of the Circuit, which is organised by Andalucía Golf/España Golf magazine and (in October) will determine the winners of five fabulous trips to the Riviera Maya.

As for the competition, the scratch winner was José Antonio López Pérez (with 30 points). Juan Carrillo Cuerva won category one (32 points), followed by José María Gil Osorio (also 32 but with a handicap four decimal points higher) and Alejandro Martínez Arasso (31). In category two, Maricarmen López Carrillo led the way (37 points), Simon Provoost (36) was second and Yury Buchnev was third (also 36). 

The results can be found at the following link: SOTOGRANDE RESULTS

In addition to prizes for the top three in each category and the scratch winner, there were special prizes for nearest to the pin: on the 8th hole provided by Dani García Group’s Tragabuches Restaurant and won by Juan Carrillo Cuerva, while Kim Forsgren was closest on the 17th. 

The Royal Sotogrande event completed the opening 10 of as many as 30 tournaments scheduled to be held during the 13th edition of this hugely popular open amateur circuit, organised by Andalucía Golf/España Golf magazine. The Circuit covers all Andalucian provinces, in addition to other areas of central Spain, with the majority of events being held at top courses on the Costa del Sol.

The Circuit’s grand finale, which will decide the five winners of trips to the Mexican Caribbean, will be held at Almenara on 30 September, followed by a gala dinner at Gran Hotel Guadalpín Banús in Marbella.

Access to the final will be direct for the winners of each category and the leading scratch player in all the qualifying tournaments, while the rest of the places in the final will be awarded based on the Benahavís Ranking, calculated from points obtained in each leg.

After the next event at Santa María Golf, the Circuit will once again move to Madrid, on Sunday 4 June at the La Dehesa course.

You can access the Circuit's own website through the magazine website, consulting the dates for forthcoming events and registering online.

ENTRY REGISTRATION


DESTINATION PGA RIVIERA MAYA by BAHÍA PRÍNCIPE

The grand finale of the circuit will decide the five winners of one-week all-inclusive trips to the Bahía Príncipe resort in Riviera Maya, with golf at PGA Riviera Maya, El Camaleón Mayakoba and Playa Paraíso. The top two finishers in each category and the scratch winner in the final, to be played on 30 September at Almenara, will travel to the Mexican Caribbean.

 

PLANNED DATE FOR THE TRIP

28 October to 4 November 2023

 

The PRIZE INCLUDES:

- Flights from Málaga or Madrid to Cancun (round trip)

- Transfers between the airport and hotel

- All-inclusive accommodation at the 5-star Grand Tulum Bahía Príncipe hotel

- Golf at PGA Riviera Maya, El Camaleón Mayakoba and Playa Paraíso

The Circuit is sponsored by AIR EUROPA, BENAHAVÍS TOWN HALL, TURISMO COSTA DEL SOL, BAHÍA PRÍNCIPE, GRAN HOTEL GUADALPÍN BANÚS, VIVIENDO DEL TRADING and MARBELLA TOWN HALL. The main collaborators are Fairway+blue, D.O. Somontano, IdeaTerrazas and Holiday Golf Estates. Cadena SER and Andalucía Golf/España Golf magazine are the Circuit's official media outlets.

AIR EUROPA

Air Europa is a member of the SkyTeam alliance, made up of 19 airlines that have been working together as a major global network for 20 years, serving more than 630 million passengers annually. Air Europa's fleet is one of the most modern on the continent. It comprises 38 aircraft whose average age does not exceed four years. The company is a leader in environmental conservation processes. In 2018, the German environmental organisation Atmosfair rated Air Europa as the most efficient European network airline.

BENAHAVÍS

Benahavís is a town with a rich Andalucian flavour, highlighted by narrow white streets, typically Arab, most of which lead to sunny squares. It is a welcoming town where you can enjoy nature and luxury developments, carefully integrated into the natural landscape and enveloped by golf courses meandering around the slopes of the Serranía de Ronda mountain range. Founded by the Arabs, under the protection of a 10th century fortress, Benahavís today is a perfect combination of tradition and modernity – a charming town that offers endless possibilities as a first-class tourist destination.

COSTA DEL SOL TOURISM

Costa del Sol Tourism and Planning is a public-owned company operating under the auspices of the Málaga provincial government (Diputación) and whose main objective is to promote the province as a tourist destination and to support economic growth, by designing and undertaking projects at the service of private companies and public entities. It is dedicated to providing professional consultancy, advice and services in the following areas: tourist and business development, tourist and territorial planning, new technologies and modernisation of the tourism industry, and tourism marketing. It is a technical instrument set up for departments of the Diputación and municipalities, municipal authorities, associations and other public or private organisations associated with the development of Málaga province.

BAHÍA PRÍNCIPE

Bahía Príncipe Hotels & Resorts is a hotel chain owned by Grupo Piñero, a prestigious Spanish family group that has interests throughout the high-end holiday industry network. Managed entirely by the Piñero family, the company has 27 hotels with more than 14,000 rooms, and is grouped under four categories: Bahía Príncipe Sunlight, Bahía Príncipe Grand, Bahía Príncipe Luxury and Bahía Príncipe Fantasia. The hotel chain has a presence in the most attractive locations in the Dominican Republic, Mexico), Jamaica and Spain.

GRAN HOTEL GUADALPÍN BANÚS

This five-star, frontline beach resort is located in the Nueva Andalucía (Marbella) area, just a 15-minute walk from the famous Puerto Banús marina. Offering tailor-made golf packs, Gran Hotel Guadalpín Banús and CostaSol Deluxe can organise your golf getaway so you don't have to worry about anything. Gran Hotel Guadalpín Banús is recognised as an elite and cosmopolitan option for those who are looking for the best hotels in Marbella. Only six kilometres separate it from Marbella’s town centre, highlighted by its charming Old Town with cobble-stoned streets and ancient churches – a wonderful place to visit.

VIVIENDODELTRADING.COM

The best manager of your capital is you. Learn to invest in a diversified and efficient way so that your money works for you. Viviendo del Trading has been training people for more than 10 years to manage their own capital with realistic expectations – and to enjoy a simple, easy and calm management process. Viviendo del Trading currently comprises seven people, six of whom are traders and investors. It is tremendously difficult and quite rare to bring together a team of traders with different profiles and specialities.

MARCA MARBELLA

Marbella is synonymous above all else with quality of life, an exceptional tourist destination that has been recognised worldwide for decades – with its image associated with the luxury, glamour and social status of other iconic resorts such as Monte Carlo and Saint Tropez. The keys to its success, attracting millions of visitors every year, are varied, highlighted by its extraordinary climate, its hotel infrastructure, its marinas, its beaches extending along 27 kilometres of coastline, its wide and varied range of leisure activities, and its many sports facilities, including 15 golf courses in the municipality.