The Andalucía Masters returns to Valderrama in October 2011

For the second consecutive year, Sotogrande’s world-famous Club de Golf Valderrama will be hosting the final European Tour event of the season to take place in Europe, with a field of top players battling it out for a share of the €3million prize purse.

Players already confirmed for the Andalucía Valderrama Masters – to be held from 27 to 30 October – include last year’s winner, Graeme McDowell; Italian trio Matteo Manassero and Edoardo and Francesco Molinari; Denmark’s Thomas Bjørn; Germany’s Martin Kaymer; and Alvaro Quiros, currently the highest ranked Spaniard in the Official World Golf Ranking.

Last year’s champion, Ulsterman Graeme McDowell’s opinion of Valderrama? “It’s an iconic course, one of the best on the planet.”

The Par 71 Championship Course was designed in 1974 by Robert Trent Jones, Sr, and since 1989 Golf World rankings have placed it as the No. 1 golf course in mainland Europe.

In addition to having staged 16 editions of the Volvo Masters, Valderrama also hosted the 1999 and 2000 World Golf – American Express Championship won by Tiger Woods and Mike Weir respectively. And when the illustrious Golf Club staged the 32nd Ryder Cup in 1997 – a victory for the European team captained by Seve Ballesteros – it became, and still remains, the only golfing venue outside the USA and Britain ever to have hosted the event.

Tickets for the Andalucía Valderrama Masters can be purchased online.