Andrew Johnston will make his return to the scene of his maiden European Tour victory next week when the fan favourite known as ‘Beef’ joins Sergio García, Jon Rahm and a host of stars at the Andalucia Valderrama Masters hosted by the Sergio García Foundation.

Johnston made his breakthrough last year at the famous Real Club Valderrama when he finished one stroke clear of five-time European Tour winner Joost Luiten of the Netherlands, on a one over par total, to take the Open de España title, while home hero García finished in third place on three over.

The Englishman’s winning interview became a viral video around the world as he discussed his victory party plans, and he has since become one of the most popular figures in the game thanks to his friendly demeanour and sense of humour.

Johnston divided his 2017 season between the European Tour and the US PGA Tour and has struggled with a shoulder injury lately, making his return to action at this week’s Italian Open.

While his return to Valderrama will not quite count as a title defence, as the 1997 Ryder Cup venue is hosting a different tournament this time around, the 28 year old is looking forward to going back.

“I can’t wait to go back to Valderrama,” said Johnston. “My win there last year was such a huge moment in my career and to do it on one of the most famous courses in Europe just made it even more special. “It is such a tough course but players still love playing it. It is not all about birdies like most other courses and you really have to think your way around. It has such an incredible history and I think it is great that the European Tour is going back there. “I have been struggling with an injury lately but hopefully a return to the course where I claimed my first European Tour victory can give me a boost and I can challenge for the title again.”

Johnston is not the only ‘de facto defending champion’ this week as the tournament host and current Masters Champion García heads the field having won this tournament the last time it was played back in 2011.

He plays on home soil for the first time since his famous triumph at Augusta National in April, when he overcame Englishman Justin Rose in a play-off.

Rahm, meanwhile, will make his first appearance in Spain since turning professional after a meteoric rise to the top of the game. The 22 year old joined the paid ranks in 2016 and claimed his maiden professional title on the US PGA Tour in January. 

He then emulated his hero Seve Ballesteros in July when he stormed to a dominant victory and his first European Tour win at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open hosted by the Rory Foundation. 

Three-time Major winner Padraig Harrington is also in the field, playing on Spanish soil for the first time in nine years.

Pictures by Real Club Valderrama 

The Andalucía Valderrama Masters to be held at Real Club Valderrama from October 19-22, sponsored by the Autonomous Government of Andalusia, will contribute to a good cause promoted by tournament host Sergio García through his Foundation. All funds raised during the tournament week will go to an interior design project aiming at humanizing the X-ray unit of the Hospital Universitario La Paz with the objective of improving the emotional well-being of patients and their families.

Humanizing patient experience is the goal promoted by tournament host Sergio García.

The unit will be redesigned into a welcoming, bright and relaxing environment through the choice of appropriate materials, colours and images. In addition to caring for individuals, the project is environmentally friendly, as the improved lighting system will result in a 60 percent saving in power consumption.

Sergio García outlines the benefits of this initiative: “As golfers, we value the positive influence of pleasant surroundings. We are lucky enough to spend many hours in contact with nature and we become aware of the need to protect the environment. We like the idea of humanizing hospitals. We would like to make it easier for people who are going through tough times by providing them with pleasant surroundings that transmit positive vibes.”

This will not be the first time that Sergio supports a good cause in his role of tournament host. At last year’s Open de España he raised the sum of €65,480 for the Spanish Cancer Association (AECC) in order to provide accommodation for the families of cancer patients during treatment away from home.

Garcia set up his charitable foundation named after himself in 2002 for the purpose of contributing to the social inclusion of economically-deprived children through social assistance benefits and the practice of sport as free-time activity. The Foundation supports, on a regular or an occasional basis, a large variety of NGOs and humanitarian associations.

Through his foundation, Sergio has been one of the key drivers of Spanish adaptive golf. Together with the Deporte y Desafío Foundation, they conducted 23 adaptive golf clinics throughout Spain attended by more than 700 disabled persons.

In 2012 he founded the “Sergio García Junior Academy-PGA Catalunya Resort” with the double aim of nurturing the best young golfing talent for the future and making golf accessible to children with disabilities.

The attractive initiatives organized by Sergio’s Foundation include golf and football charity days mixing celebrities with football and tennis stars; the interactive children’s story Once upon a time there was Golf in collaboration with PlayTales; or inviting six youngsters from his native Castellón to The Doral-Publix Junior Golf Classic, the world’s top junior golf event, as well as collaborating with The Junior Players Championship-American Junior Golf Association.

Sergio García has always expressed his gratitude to life and his desire to give back to society: “Golf and life have given me a lot and I owe it to society. I wanted to give back, so with the support of my family I decided to start a foundation in order to help disadvantaged persons or people with problems. I have been very lucky in life and I want to help give others the opportunities that I had.”

Fotos cedidas por Getty Images 

Padraig Harrington will play on Spanish soil for the first time in nine years when the three-time Major winner joins Masters champion Sergio García and World Number Five Jon Rahm at the Andalucia Valderrama Masters hosted by the Sergio García Foundation.

The Irishman has not played competitively in Spain since his double major-winning season in 2008, when he claimed a top 15 finish at the Volvo Masters on the famous Real Club Valderrama course in Andalucia, three months after winning the US PGA Championship, his third and most recent Major title.

Harrington has enjoyed great success in Spain, having claimed his maiden European Tour victory in the Peugeot Spanish Open back in 1996 at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid, before earning another win four years later -BBVA Open Turespaña Masters- in the capital city of Madrid.

His third and latest Spanish triumph came on the idyllic Andalucian region in 2001 when he overcame his compatriot Paul McGinley by one shot at Montecastillo Golf Resort.

The 46 year old’s most recent European Tour victory came on the Iberian Peninsula, at the 2016 Portugal Masters, and he will be confident of adding to his title haul when he returns to Spain the Andalucia Valderrama Masters, which is sponsored by the Autonomous Government of Andalusia, from October 19-22.

“I’m really looking forward to returning to Spain and especially to Valderrama,” said the Dubliner. “It’s one of those really special golf courses and obviously has a great history, being a former Ryder Cup venue. 

“I’ve always enjoyed playing in Spain and it’s always nice to go back to a country where you’ve been successful. The Spanish fans have always been great to me and I think that’s one of the reasons why I’ve managed to win three times there. 

“I’m sure they will come out in force again at the Andalucia Valderrama Masters and it is sure to be a great week.”

The return of the Andalucia Valderrama Masters will see tournament host García play on home soil for the first time since his famous Masters Tournament triumph in April, when he overcame Englishman Justin Rose in a play-off. The 37 year old is a defending champion of sorts, having won the event the last time it was played back in 2011.

Rahm, meanwhile, will make his first appearance in Spain since turning professional after a meteoric rise to the top of the game. The 22 year old turned professional in 2016 and claimed his maiden professional title on the USA’s PGA Tour in January.

He then emulated his hero Seve Ballesteros in July when he stormed to a dominant victory and his first European Tour win at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open hosted by the Rory Foundation.

Fotos cedidas por Getty Images 

Olazábal: “Seve brought to the team the passion he put in everything he did. He expected as much from us as he expected from himself.”

“I got emotional when I was asked how I felt at the final press conference. I recalled my recent tough times and I broke down.”

Twenty years ago, the 28th of September 1997 was a milestone in Valderrama history as Seve Ballesteros led Europe to a 14½ - 13½ victory in his home country when golf’s greatest team event was staged in Continental Europe for the first time. That week, the southern Spanish venue hit the headlines worldwide by hosting the world’s third biggest sports event after the Olympics and the World Cup.

The 32nd Ryder Cup was very special for José María Olazábal. “I have many great memories of that week at Valderrama. To begin with, the beautiful inauguration ceremony, and then the dowpour that fell in the early hours of Friday. According to local statistics it hadn’t rained that week for more than forty years, but that deluge made up for those and for the next forty!

“It was a very special Ryder Cup for me. After sharing so many with Seve as partners, having him as Captain was a very different feel. Seve was on top of every detail, he expected as much from us as he expected from himself. This made some players a bit uncomfortable, but I believe he did very well. We were close friends and we got on wonderfully.

“He had analysed every aspect of our opponents’ game and he prepared the course so we all had the same opportunities. With the help of Miguel, his right hand, he got the pairings completely right. He brought to the team the passion he put in everything he did – he was a great Captain.

“I clearly remember my Saturday morning four-ball with Nacho Garrido. The key moment was on 17 when we were really struggling against Phil Mickelson and Tom Lehman. Nacho’s second was bunkered past the green while Phil had hit a superb shot to six feet. Nacho’s bunker shot was amazing; the best bunker specialist couldn’t have done it in a hundred tries. He made his putt and Phil missed, so we halved that hole and eventually halved the match. It was an incredible moment.

“I got emotional at the final press conference when they asked me how I felt not having made it to the ’95 Ryder Cup; I recalled the tough times between ’95 and the first part of ’97 and I broke down; I was unable to talk for a while. To be there again on the winning team representing Europe, representing Spain, with Seve as Captain, meant the world to me.”

Olazábal (Hondarribia, Guipúzcoa 5/2/1966) has played several events on the European and Champions Tours this season. The winner of 35 international titles – including two green jackets in 1994 and 1999 – seven-times Ryder Cup player and victorious Captain in 2012, member of the Hall of Fame since 2009, will tee it up at the Andalucía Valderrama Masters from October 19-22, although he admits not being at his best driving form “I am struggling to hit fairways, so I expect to visit all the cork trees again”, he adds with a grin.

Valderrama holds many good memories for the Spanish champion. “My best result was third at the 1989 Volvo Masters won by Ronan Rafferty. Without being long, Valderrama is one of the most demanding courses in the world; technical and narrow with small greens. You must keep perfectly focused from the first tee shot to the last putt. I know no other course that doesn’t allow for a moment of relaxation in 18 holes. It’s a great golf course and always in top condition.”

Fotos cedidas por Getty Images y Real Club Valderrama