Golf’s greatest transatlantic rivalry returns to Spanish soil.
GIRONA, SPAIN
Spain is preparing to host the 2031 Ryder Cup at Camiral Golf & Wellness Resort in Catalonia, marking the tournament’s return to the country for the first time in 34 years. The event will bring together Europe’s and the United States’ leading golfers in one of international sport’s most prestigious team competitions, while offering the Costa Brava region an opportunity to strengthen its position as a global golf destination.
Located in Caldes de Malavella, near Girona, Camiral was officially selected in July 2025 following a campaign involving Spanish sporting institutions, regional authorities and the resort’s management. Spain will become the first country in continental Europe to host the Ryder Cup twice, following the historic 1997 edition at Valderrama in Andalusia.
That earlier tournament remains a defining moment in European golf history. Captained by the legendary Seve Ballesteros, Europe defeated the United States 14½–13½, securing a memorable victory and demonstrating that the competition could attract international attention beyond its traditional British and American venues.
Camiral’s selection carries particular significance because the resort was developed with major international golf events in mind. Opened in 1999 and formerly known as PGA Catalunya, the complex features two championship layouts, the Stadium Course and the Tour Course, surrounded by Mediterranean woodland.
The Stadium Course has hosted several major professional competitions, including three editions of the Spanish Open and the Catalunya Championship on the DP World Tour. Its combination of challenging holes, natural elevations and spectator viewing areas provides the infrastructure necessary for a competition requiring extensive broadcasting, hospitality and logistical operations.
The resort’s owners, Denis and Catherine O’Brien, have pursued the ambition of bringing the Ryder Cup to Camiral since acquiring the property in 2008. Their long-term investment strategy has focused on developing an internationally competitive golf destination combining championship facilities, accommodation and tourism services.
The tournament is expected to generate substantial international visibility for Girona, the Costa Brava and the wider Barcelona region. Hotels, restaurants, transportation companies and tourism operators could benefit from visitor spending during the event and from increased awareness of the destination in the preceding years.
However, the scale of the eventual economic impact will depend on attendance, visitor expenditure, infrastructure costs and the extent to which tourism benefits are distributed across local communities. Hosting a major sporting event can create commercial opportunities, but projected returns should be distinguished from economic results measured after the tournament.
The 2031 Ryder Cup will also represent an important opportunity for Spanish golf. The country has produced several internationally influential competitors, including Ballesteros, José María Olazábal, Sergio García and Jon Rahm, whose performances have contributed to Europe’s identity in the competition.
Unlike conventional professional tournaments, the Ryder Cup does not offer individual prize money to its participants. The competition is built around team performance, national and regional sporting pride, and a match-play format that rewards both individual results and partnerships.
Europe and the United States contest the event every two years, alternating between venues on either side of the Atlantic. The upcoming editions will take place at Adare Manor in Ireland in 2027 and Hazeltine National Golf Club in Minnesota in 2029, before the competition arrives in Spain in 2031.
Preparations at Camiral will involve coordination among tournament organizers, public institutions and private stakeholders. Transportation planning, spectator management, environmental considerations and operational infrastructure will become increasingly important as the event approaches.
The official competition dates have not yet been announced, and the resort has emphasized that ticketing and event arrangements remain under the responsibility of Ryder Cup organizers.
For Spain, hosting the tournament again will carry significance beyond its sporting calendar. The 1997 competition helped establish the country as an important destination for international golf, while the 2031 edition offers an opportunity to reinforce that position in a global tourism environment where destinations compete through high-profile sporting events.
Camiral’s appointment also reflects the long-term nature of sports infrastructure investment. More than three decades after the resort’s development began, its original ambition to host golf’s most prominent team competition is approaching realization.
When Europe and the United States meet in Catalonia, the competition will connect two generations of Spanish Ryder Cup history, linking the achievements of Ballesteros at Valderrama with a new international sporting stage on the Costa Brava.
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