Eduardo Ruiz is looking forward to writing an exciting new chapter in La Manga Club’s golfing history after being named as the new director of golf at the premier sports and leisure destination resort in Murcia, south-east Spain.
Ruiz has a proven pedigree and growing reputation in the golf resort industry having worked at a number of the leading venues in Spain including Finca Cortesin, La Quinta and, most recently, 1997 Ryder Cup host Valderrama – reguarly rated as the top course in Spain – where he was operations manager.
The Spaniard took up his role at the start of this month (April) and joins a list featuring some of the most famous names in the game to be associated with La Manga Club including South African legend Gary Player (the resort’s first director of golf), the ’King of Golf’ Arnold Palmer (winner of the 1975 Spanish Open and re-designer of its South Course) and the late Severiano Ballesteros – the resort’s touring professional from 1980-85.
A five-time host of the Spanish Open, La Manga Club added to its first-class golf facilities, which include three 18-hole championship courses, by opening a new Leadbetter Golf Academy last autumn – the only one of its kind in mainland Spain – and Ruiz is relishing the opportunity to help lead the award-winning resort into a progressive new era.
Ruiz said: “It is a great honour to have been chosen to join the best resort in Europe, and a venue that is famous across the world for its golf and sporting heritage.
“La Manga Club is a place that I’ve always admired and respected. I’ve been privileged to have worked at some of the best golf venues in Spain where I have gained some invaluable knowledge and experience, and I’m looking forward to the new challenge and playing a key part in the continued success of Europe’s top golf, and sports, institution.
“With the new golf academy and practice facilities, number of new and established golf events that we’re holding and improving the level of service to our customers even further, we have some very exciting times ahead.”
La Manga Club is widely regarded as Spain’s flagship resort and, as well as being named as Spain’s leading golf complex at the 2014 World Golf Awards, was recently handed the accolade of ‘Best Golf Resort in Spain’ by UK readers of Today’s Golfer magazine for an impressive fourth year in a row.
In addition, the resort’s claim to be Europe’s premier golf destination has been further enhanced this spring after staging the 2nd PGAs of Europe La Manga Club Pro-Am and 2015 Spanish International Senior Ladies Amateur Championship, while it will also stage the 19th running of the popular Footballers’ Golf Classic in June.
Boasting three 18-hole championship golf courses, La Manga Club’s extensive facilities also include a 28-court tennis academy, a new High Performance Sports Centre and 2,000m² spa and fitness complex, a five-star hotel, four-star serviced apartments and townhouses and more than 20 bars and restaurants.
La Manga Club www.lamangaclub.com
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