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Rory McIlroy Wins Laureus Comeback of the Year 2026

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Golf’s Greatest Redemption Story Gets the Recognition It Deserves

Rory McIlroy celebrates his Masters 2025 victory, winner of the Laureus World Comeback of the Year award at the 2026 ceremony in Madrid

The “Oscars of Sport” came to Madrid — and golf’s most celebrated comeback took centre stage.

On Monday 20 April 2026, the great and the good of world sport descended on Madrid for the 2026 Laureus World Sports Awards – widely regarded as the “Oscars of Sport.” Among the glittering roster of honourees was a name that needs no introduction to golf fans: Rory McIlroy, who claimed the Laureus World Comeback of the Year award for completing one of sport’s most agonising, and ultimately triumphant, long-distance pursuits.

It was a fitting setting. The ceremony took place in Madrid, the capital of a country with deep roots in world golf, co-hosted by Novak Djokovic and Eileen Gu. The evening balanced emerging talent with legendary figures, and McIlroy’s award drew one of the most emotional responses of the night.

Eleven Years in the Making

To understand why this award resonates so deeply, you have to go back to 2014. That year, a 25-year-old McIlroy won both the Open Championship and the US PGA Championship, moving to within one major — the Masters — of completing the career Grand Slam. It should have been a formality for a player of his brilliance. What followed instead was one of golf’s great unfinished stories: year after year at Augusta, near-miss after near-miss, with the green jacket stubbornly out of reach.

It was McIlroy’s first Major win since the 2014 Open Championship — ending an agonising 11-year wait to secure the Grand Slam. In a tense final round, he lost the lead on several occasions but eventually fought back to beat Justin Rose in a sudden death play-off. In doing so, he became only the sixth man in history to complete golf’s career Grand Slam — joining an exclusive club that includes Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Gary Player, Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen.

Speaking in a pre-recorded video message at the Laureus ceremony, McIlroy reflected on the journey: “I’ve had my fair share of near-misses at the Masters over the years and those moments are tough at the time, but they’re also the ones that push you on, make you work harder and remind you not to give up.”

A Year That Redefined a Legacy

The Masters victory alone would have been enough to make 2025 one of the most memorable years in McIlroy’s career. But the award recognised far more than one Sunday afternoon in Augusta. McIlroy also played a pivotal role in the European Ryder Cup team’s victory over the USA, winning 3.5 points from 5 matches, and won the AT&T Pro-Am, The Players Championship and the Irish Open. He also secured a fourth consecutive Race to Dubai title and a seventh DP World Tour Order of Merit.

In short, 2025 was not merely a comeback — it was a coronation. McIlroy said: “Completing the career Grand Slam was incredibly emotional. It’s something I’ve been chasing for a long time, and it probably means more because of everything that came before it — the near misses, the setbacks, and the questions along the way.”

A Star-Studded Night in Madrid

McIlroy was not the only standout honouree of the evening. Tennis dominated the individual categories, with Carlos Alcaraz named World Sportsman of the Year and Aryna Sabalenka taking World Sportswoman of the Year. Lando Norris earned the Breakthrough of the Year award after clinching his first Formula One World Championship. Lamine Yamal scooped the inaugural Young Sportsperson of the Year, while Paris Saint-Germain were named Team of the Year. Nadia Comaneci received a Lifetime Achievement Award, marking 50 years since the first perfect 10 in Olympic gymnastics history.

What This Means for Golf

The Laureus awards carry real weight beyond the golf world. They place the sport alongside Formula One, tennis, football and athletics on the global stage, and McIlroy’s win sends a powerful message: that golf produces stories of perseverance, pressure and ultimate triumph every bit as compelling as any other sport.

For fans of golf holidays in Portugal and Spain, there is added resonance. McIlroy has been a regular and beloved figure on the Iberian golf circuit over the years, not least through his wins at the Irish Open and his involvement with the DP World Tour. His continued dominance at the top of the world rankings is good news for the sport everywhere, from Augusta to the Algarve.

A Deserving Champion

The Laureus Comeback of the Year award is determined by the 69 members of the Laureus World Sports Academy — a group of legendary former athletes whose authority on sporting greatness is beyond question. Their vote for McIlroy is a recognition not just of a tournament victory, but of a decade-long lesson in resilience, dedication and the refusal to let doubt win.

Eleven years is a long time to chase a dream. For Rory McIlroy, it was worth every agonising moment — and Madrid was the perfect stage to celebrate it.

Inspired by the world’s best? Start planning your own Iberian golf adventure. Browse golf holidays in Portugal, golf breaks in the Algarve, or explore Spain golf holidays with Tee Times — Europe’s Best Golf Tour Operator 2025.

Posted in News | Spain Golf  ·  April 2026

Estrella Damm Catalunya Championship 2026: The Road to the Ryder Cup Begins in Barcelona

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The DP World Tour arrives in Barcelona this May — and Spanish golf is ready to make some noise

Real Club de Golf El Prat Pink Course in Barcelona, host venue of the inaugural Estrella Damm Catalunya Championship 2026 DP World Tour event

Posted in Spain Golf | Events & Gastronomy  ·  April 2026

From 7–10 May 2026, the brand-new Estrella Damm Catalunya Championship tees off at the historic Real Club de Golf El Prat in Barcelona — the first stop on the European Swing of the DP World Tour and the official launch of the Road to the 2031 Ryder Cup. With Camiral confirmed as the Ryder Cup venue for 2031, Spain becomes the first continental European country to host golf’s greatest team event twice. This inaugural tournament is, quite literally, the opening tee shot. And if it has you thinking about a golf holiday on the Costa Brava, you are not alone.

A World-Class Venue

Real Club de Golf El Prat has been a cornerstone of Spanish golf since 1912, granted Royal status by King Alfonso XIII and host to over 250 top-level tournaments. The Championship will be played on the Club’s Pink Course — a Greg Norman design set within a stunning 518-acre estate just 30 minutes from central Barcelona. Ballesteros, Watson, Olazábal, Garcia and Fleetwood have all competed here. Now a new generation gets its turn.

Spanish Stars Ready to Shine

The home contingent is formidable. Pablo Larrazábal — nine-time DP World Tour winner and a Club member himself — headlines alongside Ángel Hidalgo, Eugenio Chacarra, Rafa Cabrera Bello, Adri Arnaus, Nacho Elvira, Ángel Ayora and Jorge Campillo. Barcelona will be loud, partisan, and thoroughly enjoyable.

150 Years of Estrella Damm

There is a pleasing symmetry here: the title sponsor is celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2026, having first brewed in Barcelona since 1876. Estrella Damm will also be the official beer of the 2031 Ryder Cup — a partnership that feels as natural as a cold pint after 18 holes on a warm May afternoon.

Tickets & Getting There

El Prat is a short drive from Barcelona Airport. Tickets are on sale now with worthwhile discounts: 25% off for RFEG members, 50% off for ages 13–17, and free entry for under-13s. Hospitality packages are also available.

Book at: estrelladammcatalunyachampionship.golf

With a legendary venue, a packed Spanish field and the Ryder Cup countdown well and truly underway, the Estrella Damm Catalunya Championship has all the makings of a must-attend event. If someone offers you an ice-cold Estrella at the 18th — you would be foolish to say no.

Planning a trip to Barcelona or beyond? Browse golf holidays on the Costa Brava, explore golf breaks across Spain, or check out our full range of Spain golf courses and packages at Tee Times — Europe’s Best Golf Tour Operator 2025

 

Vidago Golf Club: A Remarkable Story of Passion and Persistence in Northern Portugal

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In northern Portugal, just a few minutes from Chaves and the Spanish border, Vidago Golf Club stands as one of the most inspiring stories in Portuguese golf. With a history spanning 57 years, the club is much more than a place to play. It is a symbol of resilience, community spirit and a deep love for the game.

Founded on 13 September 1969, the club originally had its home at the historic Vidago Palace Golf Course, a landmark venue that first opened in 1936. But when the famous course was redesigned and expanded from nine to eighteen holes in 2010, the costs associated with playing there became too high for many local members. Most were ordinary working people with modest financial resources, but they were determined not to lose access to the sport they loved.

Rather than give up, they chose another path. Under the leadership of club president António Manuel Carvalho Rodrigues, they purchased land in Camba, near Vidago. At the beginning, the site was little more than overgrown ground and a small ruin. Step by step, through volunteer effort, borrowed machinery and extraordinary determination, the members cleared the land and began shaping their own course.

First came four holes, then six, and eventually a full nine-hole layout. The small ruin was transformed into a warm and welcoming stone clubhouse. Officially inaugurated on 13 September 2009, the course is a par 71, with separate tees for each loop and additional tees prepared for Pitch & Putt competitions.

Set among mountains, green landscapes and traditional villages, the course offers a peaceful and distinctive setting. It also remains committed to accessibility, making golf available to people from different social backgrounds.

Today, Vidago Golf Club hosts monthly tournaments, interclub matches and events that attract players from different parts of Portugal, including Lisbon, as well as many golfers from nearby Spain. The club also continues to welcome younger players who are discovering the game there.

Behind this project are key figures such as vice-president Júlio Teixeira and director Rafael Martins, whose dedication has helped sustain the club’s growth. Vidago Golf Club is proof that with commitment, passion and collective effort, even the most ambitious dreams can become reality.

Text adapted from the post: Valdemar Afonso – Golfe: Clube G. de Vidago – um exemplo… | Facebook