Tennis legend Rafael Nadal unites with fellow sports stars to raise €116,000 for charity at inaugural golf event
La Hacienda Links Golf Resort provided a stellar stage for the Gasol Foundation Golf Invitational as star golfers and passionate amateurs including tennis legend Rafael Nadal united against the threats posed by childhood obesity.
Taking place from June 19-22, the tournament saw players tee off on both of the resort’s championship courses – the Links and the Heathland – and bask in the luxury of the five-star Fairmont La Hacienda Costa del Sol Hotel, which opened earlier in 2025.
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Among the stars lining up alongside Gasol – a six-time NBA All-Star and one of the greatest European basketball players of all time – were tennis great Nadal, winner of 22 Grand Slam titles, and of top Spanish golfers Ángel Hidalgo, Ángel Ayora, Andrea Revuelta and Paula Martín.
Spanish footballers past and present including Alvaro Morata, Marcos Alonso and Artiz Aduriz were among the other star names to support the hugely successful event, which began with a ceremonial shot hit from a historic bunker dating back to World War Two and concluded with a glittering gala dinner and prize auction which raised €116,000 for charity.
A keen golfer, Gasol and his team of Revuelta, Adri Arnaus and Rudy Fernández were in contention to take the top prize throughout before eventually having to settle for second place behind the winning quartet of Hidalgo, César Penalva, Pablo Masilla and Juan Delgado.
Providing the setting for the action was La Hacienda Links Golf Resort, one of the rising stars of European golf which has gone from strength to strength in recent years thanks to a significant period of investment. The venue’s flagship Links course, which offers unique views of the Mediterranean, Gibraltar and Africa was elevated by architect Kurtis Bowman in a major redesign three years ago; the neighbouring Heathland layout has benefitted from a renovation of its own in recent years to create one of Europe’s greatest 36-hole golf venues.
In 2024, one of the resort’s most eye-catching additions – an opulent new halfway house - was named the industry’s best at the annual World Golf Awards.
The details
Gasol said: “With this team, we've set the bar very high for our first edition. I'm very excited that this event will become a benchmark for continuing to grow in promoting healthy habits and giving that opportunity to children who don't currently have it.”
Nadal, a keen golfer, added: “Those of us who have been fortunate enough to have a privileged life are obligated not only to contribute to our foundations, but also to motivate and inspire others to do their part and make this world a better place.
“My passion for golf began because it was the only sport I could play without risking injury, but it's a sport that has something unique about it. Today we played with two incredible players, Paula and Andrea. They can't be compared to us, but we can have a good time despite the difference in skill level; that doesn't happen in any other sport.”
Javier Jimenez Casquet, director general at La Hacienda Links Golf Resort, said: “It was a privilege to host both stars and amateurs from the worlds of sport and business in aid of a worthy cause.
“When we set out renovating both of our courses, we knew it was vital to build golfing experiences suitable for tournaments such as this one and we are delighted that the players enjoyed all 36 holes across their stay.”