2024 SPANISH PROFESSIONAL MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP
The Spanish Professional Men’s Championship celebrates its 78th edition from Thursday, December 12 to Sunday, December 15 at the Cádiz course of Real Novo Sancti Petri Iberostar Golf Club. The tournament defends its prestige, gained through the feats of Severiano Ballesteros, Miguel Ángel Jiménez, and other legends of our golf, in this privileged setting.
To highlight the importance of the competition, which is held with the main support of Loterías y Apuestas del Estado, it suffices to say that it began in 1942 and has been held continuously since then with four exceptions: 1944, 1947, 1948, and 1952.
Reviewing the tournament’s record is equivalent to reviewing the history of Spanish men’s golf. Its pages include the names of Seve Ballesteros, who won for the first time in 1985 at ‘his’ Pedreña, where he overcame José María Olazábal in an unforgettable playoff. The Cantabrian genius would repeat in 1987.
Antonio Garrido (winner in 1969, 1975, 1979, 1980, and 1981), Manuel Piñero (1973, 1974, 1983, 1984, and 1989), José María Cañizares (1970, 1977, 1978, and 1982), and before them Ángel Miguel (1953, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1963, and 1965) or Sebastián Miguel (1958, 1966, 1967, and 1968) built the prestige of this Spanish Championship, an absolute reference for Spanish professional golfers.
In the last twenty-five years, one name stands above all in that record, that of Miguel Ángel Jiménez, winner for the first time in 1999 and subsequently in 2002, 2003, and 2006. On this last occasion, he also did so by signing one of the memorable pages in the history of our golf: he won at the Logroño Golf Course, sealing a stratospheric card of 60 strokes, 12 under par, in the second round.
It is also worth remembering that the Real Novo Sancti Petri Iberostar Golf Club has already hosted the Spanish Professional Men’s Championship once before, in 1990. Then the winner was Madrid’s Santiago Luna, who won by three strokes over Severiano Ballesteros, who had designed the course years earlier.
Celebration of a Preliminary Qualifying Day
One hundred and seventeen players have formalized their registration to compete in the Spanish Professional Men’s Championship, which necessitates the holding of a preliminary qualifying day as it exceeds the limit of 84 players stipulated in the tournament regulations.
Seventy-two players are exempt from playing the preliminary phase for various reasons, while forty-four will have to play it, a competition day that will also take place at the Real Novo Sancti Petri Iberostar Golf Club on Monday, December 9, with the aim of occupying one of the twelve open places that give access to the tournament proper.
Real Novo Sancti Petri, an Interesting Golf Destination
The celebration of this Spanish Professional Men’s Championship at the Real Novo Sancti Petri Iberostar Golf Club enhances the recognition of this renowned course as a golf destination in Cádiz, a complement to add to the well-known sports, tourist, cultural, and gastronomic attractions offered by this province. Special mention, in this sense, goes to the proposal made by Iberostar Selection Andalucia Playa 5*, which hosts the most emblematic gastronomic spots in the region, such as the Cataria restaurant or the new beach club Sea Soul by Cataria.
Support for a Prestigious Tournament
This Spanish Professional Men’s Championship has the sponsorship of the Royal Spanish Golf Federation and Loterías y Apuestas del Estado, as well as the support of the Higher Sports Council and the Andalusian Golf Federation.
Additionally, Allianz, Aon, Iberdrola, Volvo, Halcón Viajes, Kyocera, Grupo Mahou-San Miguel, and Solán de Cabras collaborate in the celebration of the tournament. The tournament is organized by the company GenericProductName.
