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Last Ever Andalucía Masters at Valderrama – now at Real Club de Golf Sotogrande from 19-22 October’23

This was the last in a series of eight tournaments Estrella Damm had committed itself to as a sponsor! The Real Club Valderrama had switched over to LIV Golf for 2023 and we all thought, that was that then…and then BIG news was announced – so massive, it has changed the landscape of professional golf forever: The PGA Tour, the DP World Tour and PIF (Public Investment Fund, including LIV Golf League) have signed an agreement and are merging to unify golf on a global level. Wow, what?

Yes, it shocked the world, but on a commercial level it does make sense! But how commercial do we want a sport we all love so much to be, without eradicating true competition? Well, the agreement also means that PIF will make a capital investment into the newly created partnership in order to push growth and success of global team golf. Furthermore, it will also put an end to two years of legal wrangling, bad feelings, help a divided golf community heal and ultimately reward players and fans to come together to enjoy the sport they love more at a heightened level.

Anyway, we still had great fun at the last Estrella Damm Andalucia Masters when we set up the camera by the 18th green – a killer hole to play, which demands ultimate concentration, luck as well (many say) and a skilled short game. To watch Adrian Otaegui reach a comfortable lead over these 4 days was a privilege! To see the ‘young’ master at work, apparently not being phased in the slightest by it all, when many a player has ‘lost the tournament’ on the 18th, was simply incredible and, actually, unforgettable too, since he smashed the tournament record by finishing 19 under par! The previous record was set by Sergio Garcia in 2018, but Otaegui smashed that by a mile. His fellow players on the last day, the Swede Lagergren finished an impressive 13 under par, and Angel Hidalgo from Marbella, who actually led the tournament at one stage, finished a very respectable 8 under par.

Anyone, who knows Valderrama and has played or visited the course during the glorious days of either the Volvo Masters, the Ryder Cup in 1997 or the Andalucia Masters that followed, will know just how difficult it is to play the best Spanish golf course even at level par. So, massive congratulations and felicidades to ‘our man from the North’ for this spectacular victory at the last Estrella Damm Andalucia Masters – Seve (Ballesteros) would have been proud of you!

LIV GOLF LEAGUE AT REAL CLUB VALDERRAMA

One of Spain’s most desirable lifestyle destinations will be on fire when the LIV Golf League descends onto Valderrama in sunny Sotogrande! This brand-new format of professional golf as a tour has much to show for, offering fans and golf enthusiasts a three-day-long fun-filled experience at the best golf club in Spain.

There are a variety of options available to the spectator:

  • the GROUND PASS allows access to a festival-style village, with great food & drink to fuel up, as well as interactive fun things to do
  • the BIRDIE SHACK offers exclusive access to an open-air covered venue by the 17th with a live DJ bringing party vibes and a separate bar service with drink coupons
  •  the GALLERY CLUB LOGE BOX is where you need to be for your corporate event, wanting to impress clients and guests, providing premium views of the 11th, 14th & 15th tee. Each box provides space for up to 6 people, with a dedicated waitress service and all-inclusive bar
  • the CLUB54 experience is second to none, providing an ultra-premium experience, allowing aficionados to watch players warming up, as well as chilling on a special viewing terrace right on the 18th green. A full ground pass in included, of course, but don’t miss out on a chef-created, multi-course menu you can indulge in whilst all the action continues on the course

For Adrian Otaegui to have won the Andalucia Masters presents a double feat, as he actually is the first golfer to win on the DP World Tour, who has also been competing in several LIV Golf events.

A NEW GLOBAL SPORTS SENSATION: LIVE GOLF

Its inaugural season in 2022 drew thousands of spectators to internationally selected golf courses, including London’s Centurion Club, Chicago’s Rich Harvest Farm, Real Club Valderrama and many more world-leading golf venues. The name comes from the Roma numeral 54 – a perfect golf score over 18 holes. Greg Norman, it’s CEO and former world No.1 golfer and Golf Hall of Fame inductee, thinks this new format of a golf event has already captured the attention of fans around the world.

He said, that the organisation has already ‘received a great response from fans throughout the year of beta-testing, with one resounding theme: LIV Golf’s team format, innovations and festival-like events are delivering a one-of-a-kind golf experience.’ The 2023 season consists of 14 events, of which nine are expected to be played in the USA and another five on championship courses around the world. Players will compete for both individual and team points, as well as prize money.

There are 12 teams, made up of world-class golf stars in individual and team competitions. With 48 players all in all, on smaller fields offering more action. Shotgun starts mean immediate action everywhere, right from the start. The Individual Champion will be decided on points accumulated by the end of the season, whilst a Team Championship event will be ending the season.

During the LIV Golf League season, the individual and team players will be sharing a prize pot of a whopping $ 405 million in total. The new agreement ensures, that there will be no conflict with either Majors, other international team events or Heritage tournaments.

SHOCK MERGER: DP WORLD TOUR, PGA TOU & LIV GOLF LEAGUE SIGN AGREEMENT FOR PARTNERHSIP

World-class golfer Phil Mickelson called it ‘awesome’, whilst Keith Pelly, the DP World Tour CEO, called it ‘unbelievable, a momentous day’, when the agreement was signed to merge the PGA Tour, the DP World Tour & the LIV Golf Series. A hefty amount of golf enthusiasts were left with their mouths on the floor in disbelief, as Saudi money effectively bought its way into controlling world-class golf.

After months and months of secret negotiations, following years of tension and legal battles and a firm division amongst the world’s top golfers about whom to support, Jay Monahan, the PGA Tour’s commissioner, who was once fiercely opposed to a merger, said that this new agreement was about ‘coming together to unify the game of golf. And to do so under one umbrella.’

The agreement, and subsequent partnership in this new entity, could possibly mean for those players, who had resigned from the DP World Tour, like Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter, Henrik Stenson and Lee Westwood, to rejoin the club for the Ryder Cup, taking place at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin from 29 Sept – 1 Oct 2023. Only time will tell, if this will be possible in the end, depending on how quickly things can be pushed through.

In 2022, Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson & Open Champion Cameron Smith were also poached from the DP World Tour and PGA Tour by LIV Golf for many millions of dollars, causing themselves a ban from the tours they left behind. Saudi sports-washing at its finest, many said at the time, however the new partnership should see an end to the deserters being ostrasized, as the official statement, issued to the press, said: ’The three organisations will work together cooperatively and in good faith to establish a fair and objective process for any players who desire to reapply for membership with the PGA Tour and DP World Tour following the completion of the 2023 season and for determining fair criteria and terms for readmission, consistent with our tour’s policies.’

Meanwhile, we’re sitting on the edges of our seats to see what that could actually look like in real terms and how it could work in the real world!

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Sun & Snow Weekend 2023 in Sierra Nevada/Spain feat. Exclusive interview: DJ Maik Miroux

We absolutely loved raving at 2225m altitude – the sunsets up there are to-die-for, quite apart from huge line-up lists for the Igloo stage, the Altitude stage and the Mountain Club. DJs from all over Spain made their way to the Sierra Nevada in Granada/Andalusia to keep the crowd rocking and the energy flowing until the early morning hours. Thousands of festival goers turned up this year, putting the Sun & Snow Weekend firmly on the map for any ardent raver on European soil.

 

The snow is a bit on its last legs by the beginning of April, but skiers and boarders still had great fun on the slopes during the day! Come Happy Hour, everyone’s coming down the mountain, getting started for Part II of the day. By then, the Igloo stage is where it’s at and switching over to party mode is a doddle. Both venues are sited right above the pretty village and luxury skiing destination, so having the feeling of being on top of the world, literally, just elates festival goers even more.

 

Claudia Peifer also grabbed Maik Miroux, resident DJ at Madrid’s Lola Club, for an exclusive interview to find out his latest news. Everybody was having such a good time, and the atmosphere was just mega relaxed, as it’s always great to see, when DJs and all the guys stay around for each other’s sets too, hanging out with the crowd. So, one Sun & Snow Weekend edition later, the European edm family will happily be moving on to Austria for a final kick at Snowbombing in Mayrhofen – however, you need to hit that play button now to find out what went down in the Sierra Nevada first.

 

SUN & SNOW WEEKEND FESTIVAL

Hailed as the ski resort with the most sunny days, the Sierra Nevada, being part of Granada, in Andalusia is home to the Sun & Snow Weekend Festival! Sleep, ski, rave, repeat is the motto, with The Mountain Club and the Igloo Stage, the music festival’s main venues, perched on a landing at 2250m altitude. Up there, you’re high on oxygen and have views you won’t find anywhere else: as far as the eye can see, meaning literally all the way down the valley to Granada and legendary sunsets to write home about – it’s simply stunning!

Prepare yourself for 3 days of snow sport during the day, and come Happy Hour, it’s definitely time to be happy! Calling on the best DJs Spain and Europe have to offer, the festival feels more like an EDM family affair. The whole of the Pradollano village is involved in the weekend event, from gastronomy to accommodation to snow activities and leisure. It’s all-in for this luxury skiing destination…which is why the music keeps going until the early morning hours.

This year was another stonking year for the boutique festival, with top-dog artists such as Âme headlining, as well as Cato Anaya, CC:Disco, Carlita, Echonomist, Kid Simius, Monolink, The Element, Foreverness, Kevin Ganora, Lorena Caba, Maik Miroux & Two Ex and many more at the decks, the atmosphere, whether open air or in the Mountain Club tent was electric. With its first edition only in 2018, this young festival is firmly marking its place on the European raver’s map. And with historic Granada just down the road, the whole area offers great experiences all around.

SIERRA NEVADA

The picturesque village of Pradollano is built into the mountain range like bird’s nests. The luxury Sierra Nevada holiday resort, belonging to Granda in Andalusia in Southern Spain, offers not just snow sports as a winter holiday, but mountain activities all year round. For a start, the ski lift functions all year round, taking you from 2100m up to 3000 altitude, whilst the amusement park ‘Mirlo Blanco’ offers great fun for the whole of the family. It’s the perfect holiday destination to mix nature with culture: throughout the year, you can take part in Night-sky watches with huge telescopes during their Astronomical Observation days, there are summer camps, canoeing tips in the Río Verde river, guided walking tours to Veleta and Los Machos, exploring the mountain terrain in 4x4s, marathons, lagoon visits, and, and, and…you won’t find a more diverse adventure destination anywhere else.

Accommodation in Pradollano is varied to suit all budgets, from apartments to top-class hotels and villas for rent. El Lodge Ski & Spa, belonging to Marbella’s Puente Romano Hotel, is just the best place to stay, we think, but there’s also the Melia Sierra Nevada, the Melia Sol & Nieve and the Hotel Maribel, which enjoy excellent ratings. The drive up to Pradollano from Granada is one of the most dramatic routes you’ll ever travel – the mountain ranges there are simply incredible and nothing like the European Alps at all. You’ll simply have to go yourself as seeing is believing!

GRANADA

Who hasn’t heard of the world-famous Alhambra, watching over the great city of Granada! Bordered by the provinces of Málaga, Jaén, Cordoba & quite a few others, it is central to stunning countryside, awe-inspiring history, great adventures to be had in the Sierras Nevada and culinary experiences found at every street corner. Of course, the Alhambra is by far not the only attraction in Granada city and province: there’s the Generalife Palace, the impressive cathedral, the Paseo de los Tristes, an array of great houses, and so much more to see, quite apart from the beaches of the Mediterranean Sea.