The five-star La Manga Club has enhanced its reputation as Europe’s premier sports and leisure destination after renewing its ties with the PGAs of Europe.
La Manga Club was once the continental European base of the PGAs of Europe, hosting the Association’s Annual Congress and International Team Championships for many years. Now the resort has joined forces with the organisation again and has agreed to stage one of its prestigious international pro-am tournaments in 2014.
Taking place in early March, the event will see 20-plus teams from across the continent – made up of one professional and three amateurs – gather at La Manga Club to contest an overall prize fund in excess of €20,000.
Players will compete over 54 holes for an array of individual and team honours, with packages costing €800 per person (€2,400 per team, professionals go free) including tournament entry, one practice round, a welcome cocktail reception, prize-giving gala dinner and all accommodation.
The tournament will be the second major international event that La Manga Club will stage early next year, with the resort also set to host the 2014 Spanish Seniors Amateur Championship in February.
Gary Silcock, director of golf at La Manga Club, said: “As Europe’s top sports and leisure destination, it was a logical step for La Manga Club to team up with the PGAs of Europe again and this is fantastic news for the resort.
“This region of Spain offers the perfect climate for winter golf. The resort is very popular with professionals hosting coaching groups on overseas breaks and the pro-am will give us the chance to showcase the extensive golf and practice facilities that we have to a discerning international audience.”
Ian Randell, chief executive of the PGAs of Europe, said: “La Manga Club has played a significant role in the history of the PGAs of Europe, hosting the Association’s Annual Congress and International Team Championship in the formative years of our association.
“We are delighted to be renewing our relationship and this tournament signifies the start of another exciting chapter in our partnership together.”
Having celebrated its 40th birthday last year, La Manga Club stands as a bastion of European golf, sports and lifestyle resorts.
Some of golf’s most illustrious names have been associated with the resort since it opened in 1972 including legends Gary Player (La Manga Club’s first director of golf), Arnold Palmer (winner of the 1975 Spanish Open and re-designer of its South Course) and the late Severiano Ballesteros – the resort’s touring professional from 1980-85.
Featuring three 18-hole championship golf courses, La Manga Club has played host to numerous high-profile tournaments over the years while it also offers first-class practice facilities including an 80-bay floodlit driving range, a par-47 pitch and putt course designed by Ballesteros and comprehensive short game practice area.
Among its most recent accolades, La Manga Club has been voted as the best golf resort in Spain by UK readers of Today’s Golfer magazine for the last two years, hosted the 2013 Spanish Amateur International Golf Championship and is the overseas training base of the Lawn Tennis Association until 2016.
As well as golf, the resort boasts unrivalled facilities as a sports and leisure destination including a 28-court tennis centre and a 2,000sqm spa and fitness centre. It also offers the choice of a five-star hotel, four-star serviced apartments and townhouses, more than 20 bars and restaurants and is great fun for children.