The Spanish hosts of this year’s Confederation of Professional Golf Fourball Championship were so delighted with the event’s success they not only want to stage the tournament again but also double its size.
The tournament, which was won by England’s Matt McGuire and Craig Swinburn, was staged at the Lumine Golf and Beach Club on Spain’s Costa Dorada.
It was contested by 58 pairs from across Europe over the resort’s Greg Norman-designed Lakes course.
Now Calle Carlsson, general manager the Lumine Golf and Beach Club, is looking to attract twice that number in 2013 and bring the resort’s Hills course into play.
He said: “This event was arranged at relatively short notice and we’re delighted with the numbers who entered.
“And it has been so successful we’re looking to get 120 pairs next year. We’ve got two very different but challenging courses here and we’d use them both.”
Carlsson added that holding the event again was dependent on the Costa Dorada region continuing its support of the event.
However, the signs are hopeful given that Octavi Bono, general manager Patronat de Turisme, Costa Dorada, was similarly delighted with the way this year’s tournament had panned out.
He said: “The event was a great success and we want to build on it to help promote our region as a golfing destination. I’m hopeful we’ll be able to stage it again for the next two years at least.”
Meanwhile, the Confederation of Professional Golf will return to the Lumine Golf and Beach Club somewhat sooner as the Coaches Circle and Heads of Training conference are being held there next month.
Ian Randell, the Confederation of Professional Golf chief executive, hopes the tournament and five-day visit in March will be the start of a long and fruitful relationship.
He said: “Everything has been first class, especially the facilty and the hospitality. We hope this is the start of a long partnership between the Confederation of Professional Golf, the Costa Dorada Region and the Lumine Golf and Beach Club.”