Standing out is easy when competition is scarce, but excelling when the company is large and prestigious is considerably more difficult. However, this is precisely what Finca Cortesín has achieved, the resort that has just been chosen by the Ladies European Tour to host the Solheim Cup.

In 2023, the biennial women's golf competition between European and American teams will arrive in Spain for the first time, and Finca Cortesín will become a worthy successor to a line of courses in Andalusia and the Costa del Sol that have hosted top-level international tournaments, from the Ryder Cup and the World Cup to World Golf Championships events and European and Ladies European Tour events. The resort, located in Casares, will thus become the best ambassador for the more than 70 courses scattered along the Malaga coast and the Mediterranean coast of Cadiz, an area that has earned the well-deserved and descriptive name of Costa del Golf (Golf Coast).

Vicente Rubio, general manager of Finca Cortesín, acted as an impeccable host during the recent visit of Alexandra Armas, executive director of the Ladies European Tour, days after the presentation of the Solheim Cup 2023 that took place in Puerto Banús on October 19, and took the opportunity to recap the values of the resort that will host the tournament.

“We are deeply proud and grateful to have been chosen as a venue for the 2023 Solheim Cup. Finca Cortesín was born with the ambition of becoming a benchmark for luxury resorts. We have worked hard towards this goal and have received numerous accolades, among which I would highlight, for their significance, “Best Resort in Spain and Portugal” by Travel + Leisure at the World’s Best Awards 2020 and ’Best Hotel in Spain and Portugal“ by the Condé Nast Traveler Readers” Choice Award 2019, which bring us closer to fulfilling our mission.”.

“Since the beginning of Finca Cortesín, we have prepared ourselves to be able to host major events and proof of this are the three Volvo World Match Play Championships successfully held at our facilities, where the combination of luxury hotel and championship course was highly valued by the European Tour, the best players in the world and visitors,” summarized the general manager of Finca Cortesín.

“Because of our commitment to excellence, we have been improving our facilities year after year, and with regard to the course, we have renovated the greens with ultradwarf Bermuda grass, a variety better suited to our climate that allows for less irrigation, as it is better adapted to periods of drought and to irrigation with reclaimed water, resulting in less use of pesticides and greater uniformity of the playing surface. We have not only adapted the greens to the conditions of the area, but we have also improved the bunkers with a new drainage system that keeps them in perfect condition even in heavy rain, while at the same time preventing contamination of the sand with soil or drainage gravel at all times.”.

“These and other improvements have always been made for the sake of sustainability and care for the environment, one of our main concerns, hence we are recipients of the ISO14001 Environmental Quality certifications and the Q for Tourism Quality.”.

“We have always sought to host new events and the 2023 Solheim Cup fulfills our aspirations and we will do everything we can to make it a great success,” concluded Vicente Rubio.

The head of the Ladies European Tour, who is very familiar with the Malaga course, praised its facilities, which combine a world-class competition course with residential, restaurant and hospitality areas that have received numerous international awards.

“Finca Cortesín is a world-class venue, a truly worthy host for the Solheim Cup, which will be held for the first time in Spain in 2023. The Costa del Sol is one of the best golf destinations, and I am sure that the challenging and impeccable design of the Finca Cortesín course will be the ideal setting for a match-play competition that will be incredibly exciting for both the players and the spectators who come to the course or the fans from all over the world,” summarized Alexandra Armas, CEO of the Ladies European Tour.

For his part, Íñigo Aramburu, general manager of Sport & Business, wanted to highlight Finca Cortesín's utmost commitment to the Solheim Cup project and the advantages that the resort offers to host a competition of this level.

“I don’t need to emphasize the quality of Finca Cortesín, chosen as the best resort in Spain and Portugal and highlighted by prestigious publications such as Golf Digest, but I am convinced that the public attending the tournament will be amazed by the quality of its facilities. Vicente Rubio and his team have worked diligently to secure the designation as a Solheim Cup venue and offer us an unbeatable foundation, provided by their resort. On that basis, it is much easier to develop a winning project and launch a competition that will go down in the history of the sport,” summarized Íñigo Aramburu.

Spread over 215 hectares, with spectacular views of the Mediterranean and the rolling hills of the Casares municipality, the resort, designed in the style of a traditional Spanish estate, houses a five-star hotel, a number of residences and villas, three top-level restaurants and a spa available to its guests, in addition to the course where Europe and the United States will fight to win the Solheim Cup.

Cabell Robinson's design, enhanced by the work of landscape architect Gerald Huggan, blends seamlessly into the local ecosystem, and the exquisite attention to detail on its fairways and greens allows every round to be enjoyed with all the senses. Furthermore, its length (exceeding 6,800 meters), character, and technical demands make it a great challenge and the ideal setting for match play competition.,

Finca Cortesín previously hosted the Volvo World Match Play Championship in 2009, 2011, and 2012, an event of this caliber that attracted the world's best players. In fact, the 2011 edition marked the first time a tournament held in Spain brought together the top three players in the world rankings (at that time, Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer, and Luke Donald), and six of the top seven, a field of similar caliber to the one that will gather in 2023 for the Solheim Cup, the most prestigious women's team competition on the international calendar.

In addition to its exceptional practice facilities and a Jack Nicklaus Academy available to its clients, Finca Cortesín also stands out for its unwavering environmental commitment. As Vicente Rubio pointed out, in 2017 the greens underwent a complete renovation to plant a variety of grass perfectly suited to irrigation with reclaimed water, making it far more environmentally friendly. In fact, Finca Cortesín is the first course to receive the Acosol quality seal for irrigating with this type of water, a well-deserved reward for its commitment to sustainability.

More information about Finca Cortesín can be found at www.fincacortesin.com, and about the Solheim Cup on the website www.solheimcup2023.eu, on the Twitter account @SolheimCup2023, on the Instagram account @solheimcup2023esp and on the Facebook page Solheim Cup 2023.

The 2023 Solheim Cup, officially hosted by Finca Cortesín, is sponsored by PING, Costa del Sol, and Rolex as global partners; and by Andalucía, Acosol, the Marbella City Council, and the Benahavís City Council as official partners. Solán de Cabras is the official supplier. Marca and Radio Marca are the official media outlets. The LET, the LPGA Tour, the RFEG, and Deporte & Business are collaborating in its organization.

SOURCE: Solheim Cup 2023 Organization.