The Solheim Cup 2023 thrilled millions of people who had the opportunity to witness how Europe retained the trophy for the third consecutive time, with absolute prominence from Carlota Ciganda, the only Spanish representative of the team.
While the game was fundamental to the success of the tournament, its origin lay in many other aspects that have managed to mark this year in gold in the history of the competition: The spectacular weather that prevailed and the immaculate course presented by Finca Cortesín, were added to multiple nuances that have made it possible for this 2023 to have left an indelible mark within the world of women’s golf.
An event that nobody wanted to miss
Hosting the biggest women’s golf event for the first time in Andalusia ensured that nobody wanted to miss such an event. This was clearly reflected in the reach of the television signal, exceeding 450 million households. The Solheim Cup 2023 was the most watched both in Spain -Teledeporte reached peaks of over 170,000 viewers-, and abroad -Sky Sports reached peaks of 734,000 on the final Sunday, and 35% more average viewers compared to the previous edition-.
Social networks, with Instagram at the forefront, also burned during the key week of September, obtaining a reach of over 180 million people, not to mention the thousands of news generated in print and digital media.
Finca Cortesín, for its part, became the ideal stage to witness the best women’s golf, proof of this the 465 accredited journalists. 65,010 spectators -52% women- from 62 countries filled the field from September 18 to 24; 14% came from the United States -the highest figure to date on European territory, 33% from the British Isles, and 35% from Spain -two thirds from Andalusia-. The final day on Sunday, with 18,193 people registered, was the one with the highest attendance.
A colossal economic impact
The most anticipated tournament of the year generated an economic impact on the Costa del Sol of more than 57 million euros in just 7 days. During that week more than 13,000 rooms were booked in 75 different hotels, and the employment generated amounted to 3,455 jobs, among which are the 1,843 staff members who made the successful development of both the Solheim Cup and the PING Junior Solheim Cup held at La Zagaleta possible.
Sustainability as a flag
The Solheim Cup was also marked by its responsibility to the environment, guaranteeing the sustainability of the event by having the multiple means of Finca Cortesín, a venue highlighted from its beginnings for its facilities based on sustainable management through the use of 100% regenerated water.
The organisation, carried out by Deporte & Business, reflected its concern to present a more ecological Solheim Cup by creating the figure of the “sustainability partner”, encompassing companies committed to the environment. Some of the most notable were, along with Acosol, Trablisa, Peninsula, Kyocera or BMW Automotor Premium. Electric vehicles or electricity generated by solar panels were some of the actions that were implemented linked to the sustainable spirit of the event.
In the social section, the Solheim Cup collaborated with the NGO Angels of the Night, providing both financial donations and surplus food.
A year to remember
This 2023 has been, without a doubt, historic for the memory of golf. A colossal Carlota Ciganda completely captivated the audience, not only for her decisive point on the last day, but also for her charisma and attitude throughout the competition. With Carlota Ciganda’s victory over Nelly Korda, multiple milestones were achieved: the Navarrese won all her matches, obtaining 4 points for the European team; the Solheim Cup was tied for the first time in its history; Europe also retained the trophy for the third consecutive time in history.
As if that were not enough, the public enjoyed brilliant performances by some players, such as the Swedish Caroline Hedwall, who made an epic comeback in her final match -from being down by 3 holes, she went on to win her match with four birdies in the last six holes-, or Emily Kristine Pedersen, who achieved the second hole in one in the history of the Solheim Cup during the first day.
The event held at Finca Cortesín in September makes 2023 a historic year for the competition in terms of sport, media, economic and sustainable.
