News: Andalucía win the La Cala Resort Junior Masters

Antonio Cruz-Conde, Julia Andres, Miguel Navarro, Sara Navarro and Guillermo Moreno

The team representing Andalucía has won the La Cala Resort Junior Masters for a record fifth time. The competition is an annual two-day event that offers the up-and-coming stars of Spanish golf an opportunity to compete in a team competition representing their regional golf federations.

The teams were comprised of two boys and two girls and the competition took place on Campo America, one of three 18-hole courses in the resort, which is located in Mijas Costa, Málaga. The format was 36-hole stroke play with the best three results from the four team members counting on both days. Andalucía won on a count-back from Asturias after both finished on the exact same score and the winner was decided when the two discarded cards were compared, Andalucía’s being just one shot less than Asturias.

The other regions that competed were: Castile & León, Extremadura and the Basque Country.

The Captain of the winning team is Miguel Navarro Suárez: “This was a marvellous event. The organisation was excellent, all the Captains and players got on very well together and there are good friendships built up through this annual event. The competition was keen and it was very close in the end.” The winning team members were: Julia de Andrés Landaluce, Sara Navarro Morilla, Antonio Cruz-Condee Rgez-Guerra and Guillermo Elias Moreno Piña. Guillermo is a member of La Cala Resort and he admitted this gave him a big advantage. “Knowing the course was definitely an advantage and most players scores on the second day were better than for the first round.”

Jorge Pérez Rodríguez is the Captain of the runners-up, Asturias: “This competition in very good and we are so well treated in the resort. We bring younger players to give them competitive experience.” One of his players, Spanish international, Iván Cantero Gutiérrez, recorded the best individual score of one-over 145. He was impressed by the course. “Campo America was in great condition. It’s a course I like, especially after shooting a one-under par round of 71 on the second day,” he commented.

Iñigo Urquizu captained the third-placed team, the Basque Country: “The course was in great condition and was also a physical challenge. It was a good test to begin the competitive season. I was very pleased with the performance and behaviour of my team.” These words were echoed by the Captain of the Castile and León side, Álvaro Berna Manzanares. “For almost two months we have had no competitions. The courses are frozen and there is also reduced daylight. Therefore, this event is a great way to prepare for the coming season.”

The Captain of Extremadura, Miguel Angel Carrasco Argüeso said he was delighted with the competition: “Every year it’s better. There wasn’t one detail overlooked. I’m confident that next year we´ll be back with an even stronger team.”

The official referee for the competition, Alberto Bueno, speaking on behalf of the Royal Golf Federation of Andalusia, thanked La Cala for staging the competition each year and said he recognised the huge amount of organisation involved.

The youngest competitor, 12-year old Raquel Casas Toribio from Extremadura recorded the shot of the tournament when she holed out a five-wood on the 147 metre par-three 11th hole and she was presented with a commemorative plaque to mark the achievement.

The competition has attracted some of the top players in the Spanish game. European Tour winners; Pablo Martín Benavides, Álvaro Quirós and 2011 Solheim Cup star Azahara Muñoz all competed in the first staging of the event in 2004. Other leading Spanish players to have competed include former world amateur number one, Jorge Campillo, Carmen Alonso, Anna Arese and Pedro Oriol. The most successful federations have been Andalucía with five titles and Galicia with three.

La Cala’s Director of Leisure, José Navas, said that La Cala is always conscious of promoting golf not only as a business but also as a sport. “The high level of the players competing in the competition reflects the high regard in which La Cala is held in Spanish amateur golf circles. Our aim is to continue promoting competition at the highest level among promising young Spanish players with the goal of improving overall standards and cementing Spain’s position in junior golf at a European level.

“We have also staged important competitions such as: The Ladies European Tour qualifying school, The Spanish Pairs Professional finals and the Ivobank Euro ProTour Masters. In 2011 we organised a countrywide series of qualifying competitions for the national final of the World Golfers’ Championship, which we are going to repeat in 2012 with even more qualifying events, giving amateurs the opportunity to represent Spain at the international finals that are run in the same way as a professional tournament.”

Published: 04/01/12