Barcelona regains its place on the DP World Tour
The Estrella Damm Catalunya Championship, taking place May 7–10 at the Real Club de Golf El Prat, marks the return to the DP World Tour of one of its most historic regions. Since 1972, the year of its official inception, Catalonia has hosted a total of 28 tournaments, half of them in Barcelona.
With the 2031 Ryder Cup at Camiral on the horizon, Catalonia regains prominence on the DP World Tour schedule and continues a tradition dating back to the 1970s. The first season of what was then called the European Tour, in 1972, already included an event at Golf de Pals (Girona) where the Spanish Open was held, although El Prat had previously hosted four editions since 1956.
The Spanish Open has been held in Catalonia on 15 occasions, ten of them at the Real Club de Golf El Prat. The rest are divided among Pals (1972), Club de Golf Vallromanes (1985), and PGA Catalunya —now Camiral— in 2000, 2009, and 2014.
During the 1980s and 1990s, Catalonia’s presence on the Tour was constant. The schedule included events such as the Sanyo Open at the Sant Cugat Golf Club (1982) and the Real Club de Golf El Prat (1983, 1984, 1985, and 1986); as well as the Open Catalonia or Catalan Open held at Golf de Pals (1989, 1994), Club de Golf Bonmont (1991 and 1996), Club Golf d’Aro Mas Nou (1992), and Golf Club Peralada (1995).
By province, Barcelona has been the hub of Catalonia’s relationship with professional golf. The 2026 Estrella Damm Catalunya Championship will be its fifteenth tournament on the DP World Tour. Girona has hosted twelve events and Tarragona, three.
Catalonia has also been a recurring stage for Spanish wins, with ten victories achieved by Antonio Garrido (1972 Spanish Open, Pals); Severiano Ballesteros (1981 Spanish Open, 1985 Sanyo Open at El Prat, and 1985 Spanish Open at Vallromanes); José María Olazábal (1986 Sanyo Open at El Prat and 1991 Catalonia Open at Bonmont); José Rivero (1992 Catalan Open at Mas Nou); Miguel Ángel Jiménez (2014 Spanish Open at PGA Catalunya); Pablo Larrazábal (2022 ISPS Handa Championship in Spain at Infinitum); and Adri Arnaus (2022 Catalunya Championship at PGA Catalunya).
Hosting the 2031 Ryder Cup and its annual lead-up events, starting with the 2026 Estrella Damm Catalunya Championship, represents a strategic commitment to positioning Catalonia as one of the world’s premier international golf destinations.
Tickets for the Estrella Damm Catalunya Championship (with a 25% discount for federation members, 50% off for young people aged 13 to 17, and free entry for children under 13) are available now.
The Estrella Damm Catalunya Championship, a DP World Tour tournament included in the Race to Dubai as the first event of the European Swing, is held thanks to the essential collaboration of the Real Club de Golf El Prat. It is sponsored by Estrella Damm and will kick off the Road to 2031 Ryder Cup, a journey that will end at the 2031 Ryder Cup to be held at Camiral.