The official presentation of this year’s third edition of the Madrid Masters took place at Real Sociedad Hípica Española Club de Campo, which will host the event from May 27 to 30.
Luis Díaz Redondo, the President of Real Sociedad Hípica, welcomed the tournament “to our hundred-year-old club”. He added: “It is a great honour and a privilege for our members to welcome the best players and to support The European Tour. We are grateful to Gonzalo and to the Community of Madrid for having chosen our club to host this tournament. We also wish to thank the sponsors for their commitment to our sport, particularly in the present difficult times”.
Gela Alarcó, Chief Executive of Turismo Madrid, emphasized “the regional government’s commitment to promote golf as one of our main tourist attractions. The sponsorship by Turismo Madrid of this new edition of the Madrid Masters is yet another proof of our support of Madrid’s bid for The Ryder Cup in 2018, as well as another example of our city’s capability of hosting major sporting events. We look forward to bringing this tournament to the almost 100,000 golf federates in our Community. They deserve such a great event.”
Santiago Gil de la Rosa, Sponsorship Director of Caja Madrid, stressed his strategic reasons for this backing: “Caja Madrid has supported the takeoff of the Madrid Masters which has met with increasing media and attendance success. This entitles us to dream of organizing in medium-term the greatest international golf event: The 2018 Ryder Cup. Faithful to its origins, Caja Madrid could not but take part in a project that boosts Madrid’s image as a tourist, sports and business centre”.
Gonzaga Escauriaza, President of the Royal Spanish Golf Federation, expressed his thankfulness “to all that contribute to the increasing success of the Madrid Masters. The six European Tour events hosted by Spain this year, are a clear proof of Spain’s weight and presence in the golfing scene”.
Ignacio Guerras, President of the Madrid Golf Federation reminded: “Our Federation motto is "Madrid Wants Golf”. With that aim in view, we are supporting the Madrid Masters for three reasons: First, the almost 100,000 golf federates in our Community deserve a great event such as this; second, we want and we must join forces with entities as important as Caja Madrid and Turismo de Madrid; and third, we are convinced that the best showcase for the Ryder Cup Bid Committee will be the Madrid Masters.”
Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño, President of GFC Golf & Business, in charge of the organization of the event, declared: “It is a pleasure to hold the Madrid Masters at a golf course such as Real Sociedad Hípica. On behalf of the players, I want to thank both the members for allowing us to make use of their superb facilities, and the sponsors for their longstanding trust in our company and their commitment to golf. I also wish to convey my most sincere gratefulness to my colleagues, the players, for participating in this tournament, which will no doubt mean the final recognition of Madrid as the best venue for The 2018 Ryder Cup”.
