One of the most highly anticipated international amateur golf tournaments at the start of the year, Copa de S. M. La Reina de Golf 2023 is just around the corner. With La Reserva de Sotogrande golf club almost ready to host the latest edition, it’s time to find out everything there is to know about the competition. Won by Cayetana Fernández from Spain in 2022, this year’s event has 90 golfers ready to give it their all to be in for a chance of taking home first prize. The iconic golf tournament, with prestige and tradition at its core, also counts towards the Women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking, the Ping Junior Solheim Cup, and the Ranking Nacional Amateur Sub 18 Femenino. If you’re not in the know, keep reading.
The 105th edition promises 6 exciting days
Copa de S. M. La Reina de Golf is back with its 105th edition. Careers being made, history and quality play define this tournament, which takes place over six days from the 28 February until the 5 March 2023, using the Stroke and Match Play methods of play. Stated in Real Federación Española de Golf (RFEG)’s 74th notice in 2022, the first two days will be played with Stroke Play, with 18 holes per day, and from there, the top 64 will be drawn to then fight it out in the second round in Match Play mode. The tournament is Scratch, meaning the game develops organically, with no discount on the players’ handicap.
Source: http://www.rfegolf.es/
Game play and tie-break situations
It’s worth pointing out that with Stroke the golfer who completes the 18 holes with the least number of shots wins. As opposed to Match Play, which uses a hole-by-hole method, with the winner being the player who wins the most holes over their opponent, eliminating their rival from the game. In this method of play, the winner is the one who wins the hole in the least number of shots, even though it’s not the hole itself that counts, rather the total number of holes won. In tie-break situations, the tournament has strict rules: the 18, 27, 30, 33, 34 and 35 last holes mark the difference during the Stroke round, and in case of a draw in the qualifying Match Play round, the game continues until there is a winner.
Source: www.lareservaclubsotogrande.com
Participants: 90 accepted and 7 invited
One of the distinct features of the Copa de S. M. La Reina de Golf is that the tournament invites seven guest golfers. Therefore, as well as the 90 players that have met the requirements stipulated by the RFEG, seven more players, invited by the Federation will also take to the golf course, hailing from Spain, Scotland, Ireland, France and Belgium.
Germany, Sweden, England, Finland, Portugal, and Morocco are some of the other countries that make up the 90 players, who are carefully selected through a complex process. One of the most important criteria to take part as a competitor in the Copa de S. M. La Reina de Golf is holding the title of champion in esteemed tournaments: Women’s Amateur, US Women’s Amateur, European Individual Championships, or Copa de S. M. La Reina itself. This explains why previous winner Cayetana Fernández is back again. Another criteria in the selection process of Spanish golfers is to be in the top four of the Ranking Nacional Absoluto and the Ranking Nacional Sub-18.
La Reserva de Sotogrande, a world-class course
Even though the final of this magnificent tournament is scheduled to take place on the sixth day of the competition, every day of the event is sure to be full of tension and excitement, with La Reserva de Sotogrande Golf Club playing a key role in its success as the chosen host. This golf course, designed by architect Cabell B. Robinson, opened in 2003 to many people’s delight as it is of the finest quality. Robinson has won more than a couple of awards for his talent, and his golf course has been recognised as one of the best in Spain. Amongst its many unique features are the Club House with its world-class gastronomy, a beach club with a lake just a few metres from the golf course, and the famous Academia Manuel Piñero, named after the Spanish golf legend, world and Ryder Cup champion. Robinson’s design is a great testament to golf, and has been the host to the Aramco Series twice - a women's golf tournament that brings the best players from all over the world together to compete.
Would you like to witness six days of the Copa de S. M. La Reina de Golf 2023? Have front seats at one of the most exciting golf tournaments in the Costa del Sol. You could even end up playing golf on one of the courses in the Costa del Golf. There’s plenty of choice within Sotogrande itself.
