The Royal Spanish Golf Federation paid a warm tribute to the large group of Spanish players who have achieved international victories throughout 2004 during an event that took place this Tuesday, December 14, starting at 9:00 p.m., at the Castellana Inter-Continental Hotel in Madrid.

Also, during the aforementioned event, the Medals and Plaques of Merit in Golf were awarded to those individuals designated at the Board of Directors meeting last June for their outstanding dedication to this sport.

The list of award winners was particularly significant in the amateur category thanks to a series of titles that have made Spanish golf a benchmark for other federations across Europe. During the ceremony, the members of the Junior Women's and Under-16 teams, who reached the top of the podium in their respective European Championships, were recognized.

Awards were also given to the members of the Master Senior team – over 70 years old – who won the title at the European Men's Championship held in Slovenia and to the team that won – for the first time in history – the silver medal at the last World Team Championship for Men.

These collective triumphs are complemented by many other individual achievements. Such is the case with the highly significant titles won by Carlota Ciganda in the European Individual Championships for Seniors and Under-16s – both at the age of 14! – and by Azahara Muñoz in the prestigious British Girls Championships.

There were players who shone especially brightly in the United States: Belén Mozo won The Thunderbird International Junior; Pablo Martín triumphed in the 2003 Junior Orange Bowl, the Ping/Golfweek Preview, the Isleworth Collegiate Invitational and, in England, the Carris Trophy; Miguel Cabrera won the 2003 Doral Junior Classic; Alejandro Cañizares finished first in the Pac-10 Conference Final…

Others, meanwhile, shone brighter in Europe. This was the case for Elisa Serramiá (French Junior International), Álvaro Quirós (Biarritz Cup), Iñigo Urquizu (Landes Grand Prix), and Belén Buendía (North of England Under-16 International), while others asserted their dominance after joining forces: victories for Sebastián García Grout-Ignacio Sánchez Palencia and Vicky Pertierra-Reggie Rodríguez Donovan in the Mexican and Portuguese Senior Pairs Internationals, respectively.

The presence of many Spanish golfers in international teams to successfully compete in tournaments of the importance of the Junior Ryder Cup, the Europe – Asia/Pacific Match, the St. Andrews Trophy and the Jacques Leglise Trophy was also recognized.

Also, as a significant new feature, two new awards were presented: the 'Green Wood Award for Environmental Responsibility' and the 'Human Values Award'. The former, which was awarded to the Real Club de Golf El Prat and the Club de Golf Ulzama, aims to recognize the environmental efforts of Spanish golf clubs, highlighting the numerous benefits that golf courses generate in this essential aspect for society when managed properly.

For their part, the Sergio García Foundation and the Sport and Challenge Foundation received the 'Human Values Award' for the commendable work done in teaching the practice of golf to people with physical, mental or sensory disabilities, most of them young children.

In the professional field the list was also extensive and included Santiago Luna (winner in the Hassan II Trophy), Ana Belén Sánchez (Italian Open), Sergio García (first in the Byron Nelson Classic, Bucik Classic, Ryder Cup and Mallorca Classic) and Miguel Ángel Jiménez, one of the great winners in the whole world thanks to the titles obtained in the Johnnie Walker Classic, Portugal Open, BMW Asian Open, BMW International Open, Ryder Cup and, recently, Hong Kong Open.

During the ceremony, recognition was also given to Paz Bastos de Calderón, founder of the Spanish Senior Ladies Association, who received the Gold Medal for Merit in Golf – a medal previously awarded to Higinio Raventós, President of El Prat, during the Barcelona club's 50th anniversary celebrations. She also received the Plaque for Merit in Golf for her work throughout the association's 25 years of existence. The members of the winning men's and women's teams at the 2003 European Championships were awarded the Silver Medal for Merit in Golf.