Real Club de Golf El Prat's Eduard Rousaud Sabate had the experience of a lifetime when he was part of the European Junior Ryder Cup team at Golf Disneyland, in Paris.
Rousard Sabate, 18, scored a half-point for his team in the mixed fourballs - with Sweden's Ingrid Lindblad - but lost in both the foursomes and the singles, as the USA ran out narrow winners by a solitary point, 12½-11½, their sixth successive victory in the competition.
And even though Rousard Sabate cut his finger and was having treatment for the injury when his golfing idol, Tiger Woods, met the other members of the European team on the putting green, the Barcelona-based teenager was able to catch up with the 14-time Major winner shortly afterwards and enjoyed a long conversation with him.
Rousard Sabate explained: "It has undoubtedly been the best experience of my life. Representing Europe in the Junior Ryder Cup is something unique and special. Joining other players from all over Europe - who are usually rivals - with the same objective as yours and being part of the same team is the essence of the sport: friendship.
"It was a week I will never forget. Thanks to everybody who supports me every day, like my club, RCG El Prat and my family, I was able to enjoy and embrace all the little details of this wonderful experience."
The Junior Ryder Cup has been a springboard for a number of notable Ryder Cuppers, including Spain's Sergio Garcia (1995) and Rafa Cabrera Bello (1999), Ireland's Rory McIlroy (2004), and the USA's Tony Finau (2004, 2006), Jordan Spieth (2008, 2010), and Justin Thomas (2010).
Real Club de Golf El Prat is one of the oldest courses in Spain and remains one of only a small number of clubs to have been granted royal status by King Alfonso XIII, hosting major Spanish and international amateur tournaments - such as the 2013 European Amateur Championships - and more than 250 national and international championships.
Dating back to 1912, the revered El Prat has staged the Spanish Open on 10 occasions, as well as playing host to some of the biggest names in golf, including home legends Severiano Ballesteros and José Maria Olazábal, eight-time Major winner Tom Watson and European Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjørn.
Set across the 518-acre estate of BonVilar, El Prat - just 35 minutes from the centre of Barcelona - makes clever use of its 45 Greg Norman-designed holes, over an exciting and varied mix of five highly acclaimed courses: the Open, Blue, Yellow, Pink - ranked the fourth best in Spain by Golf Digest magazine - and Green. It also offers a modern and lively clubhouse and top-quality practice facilities, including a 300m driving range and a host of specialist short-game areas.
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About Real Club de Golf El Prat
Dating back to 1912, Real Club de Golf El Prat is one of the most renowned clubs in Spain and was granted ‘Real' or royal status, by King Alonso XIII after his visit.
The renowned club has hosted the Spanish Open on 10 occasions: 1956, 1959, 1963, 1971, 1978, 1981, 1998, 1999, 2011 and 2015.
It has played host to more than 250 top-level national and international championships, including European Tour events, with top stars of the calibre of Sergio Garcia, Miguel Ángel Jiménez, José María Olazábal and Tommy Fleetwood taking part.
The club has hosted some of the biggest names in golf, with Spanish legends Severiano Ballesteros and José Maria Olazábal, eight-time Major winner Tom Watson and European Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjørn among its roll call of previous winners, while Masters champion Sergio Garcia and Pablo Larrazábal are both members.
The current 45 holes were designed by the legendary Greg Norman over an exciting mix of five highly acclaimed courses: the Open, Blue, Yellow, Pink - ranked the fourth best in Spain by Golf Digest magazine - and Green.
Real Club de Golf El Prat was built on the 518-acre estate of BonVilar, in 2002.
The multi-award-winning El Prat has been granted the Spanish Golden Plaque of the Royal Order of Sporting Merit, in recognition of the club's distinguished service in the management, organisation, promotion and development of sport.