NADAL AND QUARTET OF FOOTBALL LEGENDS HEADLINE CHARITY ‘BATTLE OF STARS’ GOLF TOURNAMENT
Tennis legend Rafael Nadal is among the first five names announced for this year’s ‘Battle of Stars’, which will once again grace two of Mallorca’s best golf courses from June 11-13.
The recently retired star, a keen golfer in his free time, will be joined by four icons spanning the last five decades of football: prolific striker Gabriel Batistuta, who scored more than 350 goals across his career; Henrik Larsson, Celtic FC’s top-scoring foreign player; Bernd Schuster, one of the only players distinguished enough to play for Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid; and former AC Milan midfielder and Italy manager Roberto Donadoni.
In support of the fights against ALS and multiple sclerosis, Pula Golf Resort and Son Servera Golf Club will stage the annual charity pro-am in what has become a highlight of the island’s sporting calendar. More big names from the worlds of sport and entertainment are set to be announced in due course.
This year, tournament sponsors include Banco Santander, golf apparel brand BRK, Cap Vermell Grand Hotel, the Fundació Mallorca Turisme, and estate agent Inmobiliaria Sa Coma as well as the Mallorca tourism board.
ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is rare degenerative disease that has a progressive impact on voluntary muscle movement by damaging nerve cells over time. Multiple sclerosis, while sharing some symptoms, is a distinct condition and impacts an estimated 2.9 million people worldwide. Proceeds from the Battle of the Stars will be donated to combatting both conditions; while both are currently uncurable, research is continuously improving treatments used to manage them.
Arnau Sala, general manager at Pula Golf Resort, said: “We are so happy to announce the first part of the field for this year’s Battle of Stars, and it’s an honour to be hosting the tournament alongside Son Servera Golf Club once again.
“The generosity and enthusiasm of all the stars, as well as every amateur golfer and industry professional who attends, blows us away every year and allows us to give back for a very worthy cause. We’re very excited to welcome everyone to Pula Golf Resort again in June.”
Pula’s par-72 course first opened for play shortly after the resort was founded in 1995; in the early 21st century the layout was heavily redesigned by Spanish golfing hero José María Olazábal. Over the years, the venue has hosted professional tournaments on the DP World Tour as well as co-hosting the annual Battle of Stars.