Twelve years after playing the Sotogrande Cup in a superb Spanish team that faced the best European amateur golfers (many of whom already with notable professional careers), Adrian Otaegui returns to Real Club de Golf Sotogrande as the defending champion of the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucia Masters. The player from San Sebastian, in a more than remarkable season, arrives at the Cadiz course heading the Spanish squad and eager to fight again for a very special title from October 19-22.

“Every victory has its history and its moment, but it is true that last year's win at the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters had a special flavor: my first victory in Spain, in front of the Spanish public, in one of the places I love the most. It was the first title with my parents on the course, sharing the whole week with me, with many people from San Sebastian. It was a very nice victory in a week in which everything went well. Unforgettable,” recalled Otaegui.

Although it’s been a while since the last time he played the Real Club de Golf, Otaegui has great memories of the course where he won the team bronze medal in the Sotogrande Cup in 2011. The Sotogrande area is very special for the Basque, and a new triumph would endorse the great relationship he has with this corner of the Andalusian geography.

“I remember perfectly the Sotogrande Cup we played in 2011. The event carries such fame and prestige that all the players in Europe wanted to play it. It is a course that I love, it is always very well maintained, demanding, with fast greens and when the wind blows it can be very hard. I'm sure there will be good rounds if you have your game ready, but you can suffer as well. It's a course that suits me, although there are holes I don't know after the renewal. I can't wait to play the practice round. I have great memories of the Sotogrande area, of going as a teenager with 14 or 15 years when I could, in winter, to train with wind and with a different grass to the one we have in the north. It is an area I am very fond of,” exlpained the Basque player.

History permeates Adrián Otaegui's career and not only because of his time at the Sotogrande Cup: winner of the British Boys like another star from San Sebastian, José María Olazábal, he also made his debut in a DP World Tour tournament, the Iberdrola Open in 2011, on a very special date.

“It was just the week after Severiano Ballesteros passed away and it was different and emotional. That same year, after playing the European Championship with the RFEG team, I turned pro, quite young. The idea was to gain experience to learn the trade. I think it was the right decision because I knew for sure that I wanted to devote my life to golf and I feel privileged to be able to dedicate myself to what I like, to my passion, to what I have always wanted,” said Otaegui.

Throughout his twelve-year professional career, Adrián Otaegui has been able to mature and make the most of all his efforts, overcoming the initial difficulties and taking advantage of the road to learn how to win and, above all, how to live. With four DP World Tour titles already under his belt, the future is still brimming with possibilities.

“The elite professional world is different from what you imagine as a kid. I've been lucky enough to play a lot of tournaments all over the world, in different courses, with different cultures, on different continents and tour. I have played all the majors except the Masters, and the experience has been magnificent. I love the competition and the challenges you face every day on a golf course. It is a matter of overcoming, of solving problems that come to you little by little, as in life,” said the Spanish golfer.

Before him, a notable challenge: to revalidate the first title he won on Spanish soil, and for this he will lead a notable group of Spanish players such as Pablo Larrazábal, winner of the Korea Championship and the KLM Open this year, Jorge Campillo, champion of the Magical Kenya Open presented by Absa, Nacho Elvira, Adri Arnaus or Rafa Cabrera Bello.

All of them make up a qualified local cast at the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters that will face international stars such as the Americans Wyndham Clark and Matt Kuchar, the New Zealander Ryan Fox, the Italian Francesco Molinari, the Scot Robert McIntyre, the Pole Adrian Meronk or the Frenchman Victor Perez.

Enjoying live all these players at the Real Club de Golf Sotogrande is quite easy, since you only need to purchase tickets for Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters, with special prices for federated golfers and free for children under 13, on the event website.

The Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters, an event in the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai made possible by the essential contribution of the Real Club de Golf Sotogrande, is sponsored by Estrella Damm and the Consejería de Turismo, Cultura y Deporte de la Junta de Andalucía, jointly funded by the EU and was declared Event of Exceptional Public Interest by the Government of Spain.

The arrival to a historic venue, a magnificent field headed by international stars, a privileged location on the schedule, the highest prize purse of all the DP World Tour tournaments held in Spain and the unanimous backing of the parties who have contributed to the success of the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters: all these assets make this tournament a new and exciting project, despite being already in its ninth edition. Thanks to this, spectators will be able to enjoy the new face of the event, and the talent of its players, from October 19-22 at the Real Club de Golf Sotogrande.

During the presentation of this competition whose main sponsors are Estrella Damm and Andalucía, the representatives of the entities and institutions gathered at the San Roque club staged their total communion with the concept of golf as an ideal vehicle for sports, tourism and promotion at local, regional, national and even international level.

"This event is a clear example of the Andalusian Government's commitment to make Andalusia a preferred destination for all golf enthusiasts. Here we perfectly combine the practice of sport with the economic and tourist impact of holding a competition of this level," said the Government Subdelegate Francisco Javier Rodríguez.
 
"Everyone wants to come to Andalusia to organize their competitions, and that is synonymous with the fact that we have the best facilities, in this case 110 magnificent golf courses, such as the Real Club de Golf Sotogrande. Here we also have the best professionals, and we know how to do things well. Our continuous efforts generate a confidence that permeates everywhere and is a guarantee of success," added the Government Subdelegate.

With sixty-five DP World Tour tournaments already held in Andalusia, to which should be added events such as the recent Solheim Cup, the Ryder Cup or the countless events of the other professional tours, such as the Ladies European Tour, the Challenge Tour or the Alps Tour, and many other high-level amateur events that have been held in this community, the unbreakable ties established between the Andalusian community and this sport are clear, as highlighted by the representative of the Junta.

For his part, Kostka Horno, Manager of the Real Club de Golf Sotogrande, emphasized the pedigree of the club when hosting major events, especially in the amateur field, and the importance of hosting again a professional test in the jewel designed by Robert Trent Jones, the first work in Europe of this reputed architect.

"We have been organizing the prestigious European Nations Championship - Sotogrande Cup for more than 50 years. It is important to remember that nine of the twelve players who have won the Ryder Cup last week have participated as amateurs in the Sotogrande Cup, which demonstrates the importance of this event at European level," explained Kostka Horno.

"That said, we are delighted to host again a professional golf tournament for several reasons: first of all, to bring here and enjoy the best players in the world, as we did in with the victory of Roberto de Vicenzo in the 1966 Open de España and Severiano Ballesteros in the 1987 Championship of Spain Professionals; secondly, to show the world this jewel hosting a prestigious event, which will help us bringing the club back into the international scene and positioning it among the best courses in the world; and finally, to contribute our bit to the productive fabric of San Roque hosting a high-level golfing event. There is no better marketing and advertising tool than an event like this," concluded the manager of the Real Club de Golf Sotogrande."

In his speech, Chris Atkinson, Championship Director and DP World Tour representative at the event, highlighted the tournament's strong roster (with the arrival of American stars Wyndham Clark and Matt Kuchar) and indicated that he was confident of having an even better field next year.

“Real Club de Golf Sotogrande is an historic club, inextricably linked to the development of golf, and will undoubtedly provide a great test to our players. The improvements made to the venue in recent years have ensured Sotogrande has retained its status as a top-class championship venue both on and off the course,” said Chris Atkinson, who also mentioned the main partners of the event.

“This is the fifth year of Estrella Damm’s sponsorship of the Andalucia Masters and the event gets bigger and bigger year on year. Their dedication to this event, golf in Spain and the DP World Tour is second-to-none and we thank them enormously, as we are also grateful to the Consejería de Turismo, Cultura y Deporte de la Junta de Andalucía for their unwavering support. The area of Andalucia is truly stunning and somewhere our players and staff love to visit. The welcome and hospitality offered to us every time we visit is greatly appreciated.”

Juan Carlos Ruiz Boix, Mayor of San Roque, wanted to emphasize the importance of golf in a municipality whose character is forged by this sport, as evidenced by the quality of its facilities and the importance of the events it hosts.
 
"Our town can boast of being an international destination golf for lovers. We have a total of nine golf clubs, many of them among the best in the world as the Real Club de Golf Sotogrande, which for the first time will host the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucia Masters," explained the Mayor of San Roque.

"All this is thanks to the excellence of our golf courses and our proven solvency when organizing with guarantees all kinds of major events, a direct consequence of the tight collaboration between all public and private entities. I want to thank especially the Councillor of Tourism and Sports for the commitment of the Junta de Andalucía to sponsor these competitions in San Roque," added Juan Carlos Ruiz Boix.

Juan José Ortiz, First Vice President of the Diputación de Cádiz, also wanted to emphasize the importance of the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters in taking the name of their province to every corner of the planet.

“On behalf of the Provincial Council, we hope that all the players and fans will not only enjoy the tournament week but will become ambassadors for the Province of Cádiz. Golf is one of our main assets, and we must keep supporting and promoting it." 

As a representative of the federative and educational sphere, Pablo Mansilla, President of the Royal Andalusian Golf Federation, pointed out the impact that events of this kind have on amateur players, whether they are elite amateurs or more modest golfers. As ideal tools for popularizing golf and complementing the federation's promotional work, tournaments such as the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters contribute to bringing golf to a much wider public.

“In Andalusia we want to be the centre of world golf and this tournament is one more step in that direction. It is important to emphasize not only the economic impact of this kind of events, but also their potential to generate more interest in the sport and create more fans.”

“As in previous years, the Andalusian junior golf champions will have the exciting opportunity to play the ProAm with the great stars taking part in the event. This is a huge motivation for them to keep training as they aim to follow the steps of their heroes,” said Pablo Mansilla. 

Located in the decisive stage of the golf season, the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters will be crucial in the outcome of the Race to Dubai, the DP World Tour order of merit, and will showcase a strong field headed by the Americans Wyndham Clark, winner of the U.S. Open 2023 and Ryder Cup player and Matt Kuchar, with four Ryder Cups to his credit; New Zealander Ryan Fox, winner of the recent BMW PGA Championship among other titles; the Italian Francesco Molinari, Open Championship winner; the Spaniards Adrian Otaegui, defending champion, Pablo Larrazabal, Jorge Campillo or Rafa Cabrera Bello, all with notable international wins in their track records, or the Pole Adrian Meronk, already with multiple victories in the DP World Tour.

Tickets for the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters are already available, with special prices for federated golfers and free for children under 13, and can be purchased on the event website.

The Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters, an event in the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai made possible by the essential contribution of the Real Club de Golf Sotogrande, is sponsored by Estrella Damm and the Consejería de Turismo, Cultura y Deporte de la Junta de Andalucía, jointly funded by the EU and was declared Event of Exceptional Public Interest by the Government of Spain.

American duo Wyndham Clark and Matt Kuchar will join Ryan Fox and Rafa Cabrera Bello in Spain in two weeks time as the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters begins a new era at Real Club de Golf Sotogrande from October 19-22.

The tournament moves to a new venue at Real Club de Golf Sotogrande for the ninth edition of the event, completing a two-week Spanish swing following the acciona Open de Espana presented by Madrid. Tickets can be purchased on the tournament website or at the DP World Tour website.

U.S. Open Champion Clark has enjoyed a breakthrough year in 2023, winning his first PGA TOUR title at the Wells Fargo Championship in May before claiming his maiden Major Championship at Los Angeles Country Club a month later, finishing one stroke clear of Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy.

The 29-year-old went on to finish third in the FedExCup – his highest career finish – and the World Number Ten made his Ryder Cup debut at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club last week ahead of his maiden visit to Spain for the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters.

“I’ve never played in Spain before so it’s something I’m really excited about,” said Clark. “I’ve seen some pictures of the course and it looks amazing. It’ll be really cool to go and play there and I’m also looking forward to experiencing what Spain has to offer.”

Four-time Ryder Cup player Kuchar, who was member of the victorious United States Ryder Cup side at Hazeltine in 2016, is relishing the opportunity to tee it up in Spain for the first time.

“I haven’t played in Europe as much as I would have liked to over the last few years and I have heard good things about this tournament, so I’m sure it’s going to be a great week.

“We are lucky as golfers to be able to travel the world with our jobs, but in over 20 years as a professional, I’ve never had the opportunity to play in Spain before. I’m excited to head over to Sotogrande and see what it has to offer.”

BMW PGA Champion Fox, who defends his Alfred Dunhill Links Championship title in Scotland this week, won his maiden Rolex Series title at Wentworth Club last month and is aiming for a strong finish to the season.

“There are some great events at the back end of the Race to Dubai and the Andalucía Masters is one of them,” said Fox.

“I finished third in Ireland last month and feel like I have a good run of events now where I can build some momentum in the lead up to the last few events of the year. The course looks great so I’m looking forward to heading to Sotogrande in a couple of weeks.”

Former Ryder Cup player Cabrera Bello, whose most recent victory came in Madrid in 2021, is looking forward to returning to his home country as the Rolex Series winner targets more success.

“Real Club de Golf Sotogrande is a brilliant golf course and it is deserves to host a tournament with the prestige of the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters,” he said.

“Winning in Madrid was one of the best moments in my career, doing it in front of my home fans, and I can’t wait to have the opportunity to do it again later this month.”

Tickets for the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters can be purchased on the event website.

The Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters, an event in the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai made possible by the essential contribution of the Real Club de Golf Sotogrande, is sponsored by Estrella Damm and the Consejería de Turismo, Cultura y Deporte de la Junta de Andalucía, jointly funded by the EU and was declared Event of Exceptional Public Interest by the Government of Spain.

The management of Real Club de Golf Sotogrande, home of the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía 2023, show day by day their full commitment to environmental conservation and the responsible use of natural resources, especially water. This focus can be seen in all maintenance work, seeking excellence in the state of the grass through sustainable and respectful practices so the golf course can offer its impeccable presentation to players and spectators in this DP World Tour event to be held from October 19-22.

The recent course restoration, carried out between 2015 and 2018, laid the foundations for a much more efficient and sustainable maintenance management.

"We used certified 419 Bermuda on tees, fairways and rough, a warm-weather variety that needs less water, and reduced the turf area by 1.9 percent (10,150 m2). In addition, we installed 37 kilometers of drains that channel water to the lakes, making the most of rainwater. This drainage network, together with the 75 tons of silica sand used throughout the field, helps to keep the bermudagrass in good condition in winter, thus avoiding reseeding, which requires a lot of water," explains Patrick Allende, golf course manager.

Efficient irrigation is another key element of maintenance. The course is irrigated with reclaimed water from the Sotogrande urbanization's wastewater treatment plant, thus achieving complete water reuse and avoiding the disposal of such a precious resource into the sea.

"We have a modern irrigation system with 2,245 individually managed sprinklers and a state-of-the-art program that allows a very efficient water usage. We use daily humidity sensors and a weather station to determine the water needs of the course with great precision," Allende adds.

The complex irrigation network is combined with a fertigation system that allows the field to be fertilized through water. "With this tool we achieve very high levels of optimization in the use of fertilizers," says the golf course manager.

The environmental impact study carried out for the restoration of the golf course quantified a 20% saving in water consumption as a result of these measures. In addition, other parameters such as CO₂ emissions, non-hazardous waste generation and noise emissions were reduced by 25 %.

Moreover, the Real Club de Golf Sotogrande is immersed in an ambitious program to install solar panels to produce energy and gradually replace the traditional machinery with electric machinery that can operate with the energy generated at the club.

The environmental commitment of Real Club de Golf Sotogrande is accredited with the GEO certification, the most prestigious and demanding certification in Europe specifically for golf courses. The GEO (Golf Environment Organization) guarantees that the maintenance works of the course and all the club's facilities are carried out with environmental responsibility and the goal of improving the natural environment and guaranteeing its future development.

All these factors guarantee an exemplary maintenance, and the impeccable presentation of the golf course attests to the success of the measures implemented. Those visiting the club to enjoy the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters will be able to check this out, and to do so they can already purchase tickets at the event website.

The Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters, an event in the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai made possible by the essential contribution of the Real Club de Golf Sotogrande, is sponsored by Estrella Damm and the Consejería de Turismo, Cultura y Deporte de la Junta de Andalucía, jointly funded by the EU and was declared Event of Exceptional Public Interest by the Government of Spain.