Carlota Ciganda - Photo: DR

The new tournament was organized thanks to the vice-captain of the European Solheim Cup team, Marta Figueras-Dotti, and her family ties with the Estrella Damm brewery in Barcelona, ​​whose slogan is “Mediterranean”.

The 72-hole stroke-play tournament will be played at the superb Terramar Golf Club (par 71), which enjoys magnificent views of the Mediterranean Sea just 25 minutes from Barcelona.

World number 21 Carlota Ciganda will be one of the main players to watch after winning two professional titles in 2016. The 26-year-old and second-player Solheim Cup finished second at the 2014 Spanish Open and is said to be popular at home. She commented: “It's always nice to be here with all the Spaniards. My parents are arriving tonight and a lot of friends and family are arriving this weekend. It's always nice to play here with the crowd. Alicia and Inigo, the promoters (Deporte and Business), always do a great job with these tournaments. I'm happy to be here and to play this week.

"I'll try to have fun and play my best game. I would love to win here in Spain, but I'm not going to put pressure on myself thinking about it. I've played the course and think it's pretty straightforward from tee to green. I think I'm going to do a lot of birdies so hopefully shoot some good scores and see what happens on the weekend. "

While not playing, Annika will be on the site looking at her potential team members. She comments: “It's great to be here. I haven't been to Spain since my amateur career, so to be part of this tournament in his first year with Marta, one of my vice-captains. This is my first LET tournament to come and explore some of the talent here. We're getting closer to the Solheim Cup, there are four months left, so I'm watching the players and catching up. There are a lot of reasons to be here and I am really excited. It's a beautiful place, I love to admire the Mediterranean Sea. It's great to be here. We hope to return for many more years. "

Nordqvist is top ranked at European level at 10th in the Rolex Women's World Golf Rankings since its recent victory at the Bank of Hope Funders Cup in the United States.

The field includes two of this year's Ladies European Tour winners, with Melissa Reid, who won her sixth LET title at the Oates Vic Open in Australia in February, and Klara Spilkova, who won the Lalla Meryem Cup in Morocco on Sunday.

With a large number of potential European Solheim Cup team members including Georgia Hall, Florentyna Parker, Emily Kristine Pedersen and Nicole Broch Larsen, all looking to be a part of this event which will take place at Des Moines Golf and Country Club in Iowa August 18-20, the tournament unfolds to be a spectacular preview of the Solheim Cup and Marta Figueras-Dotti, who is the event's official ambassador, said: “This tournament is very special because we have worked very hard to make this happen, it means a lot to me to support women's golf at the national level. The best female golfers are there and it's a great opportunity to come and watch them play. There will be a lot of activities, it will be a lot of fun and you will be treated to the best beer in the world! "

“You can sit on the 18th hole and enjoy an Estrella Damm beer or an Estrella Damm Lemon and watch all the players do the show, because everything is really close. I know we will also have a lot of activities for juniors and families. "