Gibraltarian presence at the Open de España

The Open de España presented by Madrid 2026, Spain’s national open golf championship, was held from Thursday, 8 October, to Sunday, 11 October, at the Club de Campo Villa de Madrid, with Gibraltarian presence across two fronts.
The event, part of the DP World Tour, saw Mr John Bassadone’s Peninsula, a leading global marine energy supplier, return to the Open de España for a second consecutive year, continuing its support for the tournament.
Peninsula’s involvement provided “an opportunity to bring together key customers, partners and stakeholders in Spain, a market where the company has built strong commercial relationships over several decades, especially in the gas sector”.
Those relationships have increasingly extended into the energy transition. A notable example is Peninsula’s joint venture with Enagás, through its subsidiary Scale Gas, which led to the construction and joint ownership of the 12,500 m³ LNG bunker vessel Levante LNG.
“Operating since September 2023, Levante LNG supplies LNG and bioLNG and has helped expand the availability of lower-emission marine energy solutions across the Western Mediterranean.”
Peninsula’s association with international golf also builds on its previous involvement with the Solheim Cup at Finca Cortesín, where the company supported the event in what it described as “a sustainability capacity”.
“This connection between sport, relationships and sustainability reflects Peninsula’s broader commitment to working collaboratively with customers and partners as the maritime industry transitions towards lower-emission energy solutions.”
Peninsula founder and CEO John Bassadone said: “Spain has always been an important market for Peninsula and one where we have built lasting relationships with customers, partners and leading Spanish businesses. Returning to the Open de España gives us a fantastic opportunity to bring many of those relationships together in Madrid.
“Our work with Enagás is a good example of what long-term collaboration can achieve. Today, Levante LNG is actively supporting the development of lower-emission marine energy in the Western Mediterranean. We are proud to continue investing in relationships and solutions that support the future of our industry.”
As part of its presence at the tournament, Peninsula hosted key customers and stakeholders at the Pro-Am ahead of the main competition.
The championship was won by Scotland’s Grant Forrest, who finished 14 under par. The Open de España dates back to 1912 and is one of Europe’s oldest national open golf championships. Its past winners include Severiano Ballesteros, Arnold Palmer, Bernhard Langer and Jon Rahm.
On the sporting front, 19-year-old Gibraltarian golfer Sebastian Desoisa, who is studying at the University of Oregon, competed in the Open de España after receiving an invitation for the second consecutive year.
Desoisa came within one hole of making the cut at one of Europe’s leading professional tournaments. According to the tournament’s official report, he reached the 18th hole of his second round one shot inside the cut line. However, a triple bogey on the final hole meant he missed the cut and the opportunity to play over the weekend.