Pau Gasol keeps his word

Having the best Spanish basketball player of all time as an ambassador is fantastic. Pau Gasol, a devoted golfer for the past couple of years, not only committed to promoting the Solheim Cup at Finca Cortesín, but also promised to try and attend the tournament himself. And, true to his word, he was just another spectator this Saturday.

Well, he's not just another spectator, because his presence doesn't go unnoticed; firstly, because of his height, of course, and secondly because everyone wants to complete their visit to the Solheim Cup with a photo with him. If enjoying the best golf in the world is already magnificent, immortalizing the day with a photo with Carlota and Pau, two icons of our sport, is priceless.

During his visit to Finca Cortesín, the former NBA player watched the Navarrese golfer's Fourball and wished her luck for the decisive day on Sunday.

The 'Solheim Cup Experience' kicks off in Plaza Andalucía

Plaza Andalucía is the starting point for the 'Solheim Experience'. This large public space welcomes fans with a giant screen next to a stage that provides entertainment during downtime. There, visitors can enjoy Andalusian tapas, a hamburger, or whatever they prefer, or have a soft drink.

Beyond the food, the plaza houses a Solheim merchandise shop—who wouldn't want to take home a polo shirt, a flag, or some other souvenir from the event?—and a series of stands offering fun experiences for spectators. All this while following the game on the screen and sharing the excitement with fans from around the world. Plaza Andalucía, 'the place to be'.

The United States wants the fourth

This would be the fourth time the Solheim Cup has been held on European soil. To date, and excluding this edition, eight Solheim Cup tournaments have taken place in Europe: two in Scotland (1992 and 2019) and Sweden (2003 and 2007), and one each in Germany (2015), Ireland (2011), and Wales (1996), with a record of five home wins and three away wins. Their impressive performance in the Foursomes has put them on track for what could be their fourth title, but they still need to seal the deal… and that's the hardest part.

Finca Cortesín, a sustainable setting

This edition of the Solheim Cup has aimed to be the most environmentally friendly ever held and, moreover, shows the way forward for the future. To achieve this, the organizers opted for an environmentally conscious venue like Finca Cortesín, which has earned it the prestigious GEO Certified® label.

Thanks to the use of recycled 100% water from the nearby town of Manilva, the resort also received the ACOSOL quality seal in May 2022, becoming the first golf course in Spain to receive this recognition.

In addition to the golf course, where Finca Cortesín has installed Bermuda grass on the greens, reducing water consumption by 30%, the resort has also launched other initiatives, such as the creation of beehives to promote necessary pollination.

Caps, polo shirts and tiles, the most in-demand items in the tournament's official store

“Between 25 and 100% of the people who come in make a purchase,” says Javier Espejo, manager of the tournament's official store. «The average purchase is between 85 and 110 euros, depending on the day. Approximately 6,000 people come into the store each day. The most popular items are caps, polo shirts, and golf accessories. There's a huge variety, and people are delighted with everything we have. We have 25 volunteers a day in the store, led by Luz, Agus, Sara, and Alba, who do a fantastic job,» Espejo explains.

«"John Solheim himself came to the shop and was fascinated by some tiles that are made by

Alicia Guerrero,

"An artist from Malaga. They are numbered from 1 to 200, there is one model per team and he came specifically looking for numbers 1 to 5 of both designs," he added.

Rose Zhang, first eagle on hole 1

Hole 1, which is being played in this Solheim Cup, was hole 4 in Cabell B. Robinson's original design, but the change was made both because of the spectacular nature of the hole and because of the excellent natural amphitheater of the starting tee, perfect for accommodating the stands that are providing so much entertainment in the tournament.

Hole 1, a 270-meter par 4 with a waterlogged green, promised spectacle and excitement, and it has delivered, but more daring was expected from some players. In the end, strategy prevailed, and some opted for a more cautious approach, while others took a gamble and ended up in the water. The first and only player so far to achieve this feat in two strokes—an eagle—was Rose Zhang in the third Fourball match of the afternoon. Naturally, she won the hole.