Denis O’Brien lands 2031 Ryder Cup for his Costa Brava resort Camiral
Camiral
Denis O’Brien will follow in the footsteps of Dr Michael Smurfit and JP McManus when his Catalan resort Camiral hosts the Ryder Cup in 2031.
The K Club, which was the brainchild of Smurfit, hosted the event in 2006 while McManus’ Adare Manor will stage the biennial event in 2027.
“Hosting the Ryder Cup is the realisation of a long-held dream to bring golf’s greatest sporting event to Catalonia and Spain,” Mr O’Brien and his wife Catherine, owners of Camiral, said in a statement.
“For the communities of Girona, Costa Brava and Barcelona, it will create immediate economic benefits, driving high value golf and leisure tourism in the years leading up to the 2031 Ryder Cup, and a long-lasting legacy built on the reputation of hosting one of the greatest sporting events in the world.
“We would like to thank the Catalan and Spanish Government and the Spanish Golf Federation for all of their support and we look forward to continuing our great relationship with Ryder Cup Europe.”
Mr O’Brien, who also owns the Quinta do Lago golf resort in Portugal, has owned Camiral since 2008 and invested tens of millions in upgrades to the courses and the hotel, as well as the construction of luxury apartments and houses on the property.
It will be the second Spanish staging of the biennial event, coming 34 years after Seve Ballesteros led Europe to victory at Valderrama
Camiral—formerly known as PGA Catalunya Resort—will follow Bethpage Black in New York (2025), Adare Manor (2027) and Hazeltine National in Minnesota (2029) as the venue for golf’s biggest team contest.
As part of the agreement for the region to host the Ryder Cup in six years time, Barcelona basedd brewers Estrella Damm will become the title partner of the DP World Tour’s Estrella Damm Catalunya Championship for five years beginning in 2026, with the 2028, 2029 and 2030 tournaments taking place at Camiral.
Guy Kinnings, Chief Executive of the European Tour Group, said: “Today’s announcement not only recognises Camiral as one of Europe’s leading venues, but also the considerable contribution Spanish golf has made to the proud history of the Ryder Cup.
“The Ryder Cup has grown significantly since Spain last hosted it in 1997. It is one of the world’s leading sporting events, which brings significant economic benefits and global exposure to a host region and country, so we could not be happier to be taking it to Costa Brava and Barcelona for the first time, and to Spain for the second time.
“This agreement has taken many months of collaborative discussions, so we are grateful not only to Denis O’Brien and his team at Camiral, but also to the Government of Catalonia, the Spanish Government, the Province of Girona and Barcelona Tourism for their vision and commitment to hosting this major global event.
“We have also secured significant support from the private sector in Costa Brava and Barcelona, including Estrella Damm’s long-term commitment, which will play a big role in the road to Ryder Cup 2031 as we showcase the region to our global audience.”
There has been at least one Spaniard in the European Team in each Ryder Cup since 1979, the year players from Continental Europe became part of the biennial contest.
Camiral hosted the DP World Tour’s Open de España in 2000, 2009 and 2014, and the Catalunya Championship in 2022, as well as the Final Stage of the DP World Tour’s Qualifying School for nine consecutive years from 2008 to 2016.
