The story behind the big amateur tournament for Porsche customers
We all know that Porsche and golf have a close relationship at a professional level, but the annual competition for talented amateur customers is both fiercely competitive and also a place to make new friends
Mallorca bound: the Porsche Golf Cup World FinalWhen Meike Leichtle walked out of the arrivals lounge of Palma de Mallorca airport and into the warm early summer sun in June this year, she says her heart started beating a little faster. When you learn that there were five Porsche cars lined up outside, that should come as no surprise. “From that moment on, everything was so carefree and breathtakingly beautiful,” said the 22-year-old German, who was on the Balearic island to compete in the seventh edition of the Porsche Golf World Cup Final. It was so beautiful, in fact, that having qualified for the final via a Porsche Centre tournament and then a Germany final, Meike would later roar to overall victory in the 2022 version of the women’s singles event.The Porsche Golf Cup World Final is an exclusive customer series for amateurs from the Porsche ‘family’. For the 2022 version, 60 keen golfers – including Meike – advanced to Mallorca by coming through a series of tournaments that were held worldwide during 2021. Given that there were 14,000 initial entrants, you can quite understand why Meike – who has a number of titles already under her belt and has an impressive handicap of -0.6 – was so thrilled. “Golf shaped my youth,” says Meike, who is a law student. “My parents took me out onto the course right from when I was a little kid, and to Porsche golf events too, by the way.” On course for victory: the 2022 Porsche Golf Cup World Final winner, Germany’s Meike LeichtleA double helping of the Porsche Golf Cup World FinalIn fact, there was more than one Porsche Golf Cup World Final held in Mallorca during competition week. Following a two-year break due to the pandemic, the delayed 2020 final was also held on the island – the famous Alcanada and Canyamel courses were used for the twin finals – with Luigi D’Amico, a 28-year-old Italian from Emilia-Romagna, coming out on top in the men’s singles, out of a field of 121 golfers. Like Meike, Luigi won an event that was played over 36 holes.Luigi, a -1.3 handicap golfer who studied international relations and now works for a laundry company, was in a big tussle for the trophy throughout the two rounds with an American, Paxton Wright. Paxton at one point led by four shots, but Luigi quickly levelled the scores on the second day. Like a couple of Porsche 911 GT3 RS racecars battling it out on track, it went down to the wire. Both carded the same overall score, but the Italian came out on top by virtue of a better second day. “It was an amazing round,” remembers Luigi. “Despite the competitiveness, we had a great time chatting to each other and were cracking jokes. We had a lot of fun.”A winning drive: Italy’s Luigi D’Amico won the rescheduled 2020 Porsche Golf Cup World FinalFor both Meike and Luigi, their victories were something they will remember forever – from finishing the round, to walking up on stage to collect their respective trophies to the cheers of the other competitors. “It was awesome,” says Luigi, while Meike says that she still gets goose bumps to this day at the film that was screened at the closing ceremony. “I've played a lot of tournaments, but I’ve never had such heartfelt congratulations afterwards. We were like a huge family.”All the winners at the Porsche Golf Cup World FinalOther winners included Mexico’s Karen Schmidt in the 2020 women’s singles final and Austria’s Helmut Konrad in the 2022 men’s singles event. Meanwhile, the golfers from Japan (2020) and Mexico (2022) came out on top in the World Trophy, the team event.The Porsche Golf Cup World Final double header was held across two of Mallorca’s top coursesAway from the course itself, there were lots of things for the Porsche golf family to enjoy too. “We all had a super time, including at the evening events,” says Luigi who, like Meike, was handed his love for golf from his father.And Meike’s father was left beaming after he was given the chance to drive a 911 Turbo S when out on a tour around the island. “At the World Final, I met an 82-year-old Swede who was accompanying someone there and who had been a really good player in his prime,” says Meike. “He told me that he had collected his first Porsche from the factory in Zuffenhausen in 1964. What a story. My father hadn’t even been born!”As Luigi, Meike and the Swedish fan would surely agree, creating memories that will last a lifetime is a distinct Porsche characteristic.For more on Porsche Golf click here
Experience your own great drive
Build your Porsche
