Ever since it was revealed in 2020 that Finca Cortesin would be the venue chosen for the biennial women’s golf tournament in which European and United States teams face each other over three days of competition, milestones are being reached on the road to the Solheim Cup in Spain. One of the most exciting and significant ahead of the tournament is the handover ceremony and the presentation of the captain of the European team, who is going to Norwegian Suzann Pettersen.
This road is now being travelled by all those involved, and by Finca Cortesin especially. For them it is the culmination of a journey which began with the resort hosting other top-level competitions such as the Volvo World Match Play Championship in 2009, 2011 and 2012. The Solheim Cup will give Finca Cortesin an unprecedented stage from which to show its passion for being a benchmark in the luxury resort sector and its commitment to excellence.
We spoke with Vicente Rubio, Managing Director of Finca Cortesin about what the Solheim Cup means for this luxury resort.
Finca Cortesin is considered one of Spain’s best courses and one of the most important resorts in Europe. What does it mean to be host venue of the Solheim Cup 2023?
We are thrilled with being the host venue of the Solheim Cup in 2023. We know an event of this magnitude brings immense responsibility with it and we are all working diligently to ensure it´s a huge success, not just for us but for all stakeholders. For 3 days in September 2023, we will be on the World stage, not just representing our Resort, but also Andalucía, the Costa del Sol and Spain, and we want to ensure we do that in the best possible light.
Finca Cortesin has a proven history of hosting high-profile tournaments, including the Volvo World Match Play Championship in 2009, 2011 and 2012. Was it the time right to add another top tournament to your portfolio?
Yes, we are extremely proud of our history hosting the Volvo World Match Play Championship in three occasions, but it was time to host another global event, and we could not be prouder to be the host venues of such a great event as the Solheim Cup. Finca Cortesin is now an international recognized brand and the association with the Solheim Cup will continue to elevate our positioning and build on our legacy for years to come. We also feel the Solheim Cup shares many values with us as a company, such as effort, achievement, perseverance, respect, equality and sustainability and that was an important factor of alignment.
The Solheim Cup is one of the major golf spectaculars, with many fans the length and breadth of the world. What do you think will make Solheim Cup 2023 at Finca Cortesin unforgettable?
Yes, the Solheim Cup is a terrific event that has grown significantly in the last few editions, and I honestly think we have all the correct ingredients to host an unforgettable event; one of Europe´s best golf courses and resorts along with a destination such as the Costa del Sol where you have easy access from all corners of the World and amazing things to do while you are here from playing golf, culture, gastronomy, mountains, beach and of course our amazing climate.
And after Solheim? Do you think Finca Cortesin will be venue for other competitions of this calibre?
We are focused on the Solheim Cup now and ensuring it is the success we are all expecting it to be. But yes, at Finca Cortesin we are always open to study opportunities and if the right opportunity arises in the future to host another world class event that we feel will continue to elevate our positioning we would of course study it carefully.