European legend Ian Woosnam was on hand to join in the fun as professionals and amateurs from all over the world gathered at Costa Navarino from June 24-27, to celebrate a landmark edition of the AEGEAN Messinia Pro-Am.
The event provided a moment to reflect on the tournament’s evolution. First established in 2006 as the AEGEAN Airlines Pro-Am, it was inspired by Theodore Vassilakis, founder of AEGEAN, and Captain Vassilis Constantakopoulos, founder of Costa Navarino. Hosted at Costa Navarino since 2010, where it has grown alongside the destination, it joined forces with the Messinia Pro-Am in 2022 to form today’s AEGEAN Messinia Pro-Am, reaching its landmark edition in 2026.
Former world number one Woosnam, whose major achievements include winning The Masters in 1991 and captaining Europe to Ryder Cup glory in 2006, joined players from 59 teams representing 21 countries to celebrate the event, in Greece’s southwest Peloponnese.
The 68-year-old Welshman was a special guest at the popular 54-hole tournament, which combines world-class golf with the authentic hospitality of Greece. As well as taking part in a ‘Battle of Navarino’ Challenge with compatriot Mark Mouland, Woosnam engaged in an entertaining Q&A session with Sky Sports Golf presenter Kit Alexander.
Woosnam said: “It’s wonderful being here. I’ve been to a lot of places around the world and played a lot in some great destinations, but this is truly one of the best for me. I’ve played all the courses and they are fantastic. I’ve also seen the culture on offer, and I loved what I saw. Everyone is so friendly and, if you are a golfer and want to come on holiday and play golf, this is a great place to come.”
Taking place across three of Costa Navarino’s four 18-hole signature courses — The Dunes Course, The Hills Course and the International Olympic Academy Golf Course — the pro-am was played out against the backdrop of glorious blue skies and the breathtaking seaside landscape of the Messinian region. Featuring a total prize fund of €64,000, the competition for top professional honours was strong as ever with Emanuele Canonica and Alessandro Tadini – both from PGA of Italy – leading the way.
Former European Tour star Canonica held a slender one-stroke advantage going into the final day, but Tadini proved too strong as a closing round of 67 earned him a one-shot win over his compatriot and a record-equalling third victory in the event.
Tadini, who finished on a final score of 16-under-par, said: “I am so happy because it has been a long, long time since I can remember playing so well. The big difference was my putting, and I had amazing feel all week. This pro-am is the biggest one that I know of and I love coming here. The golf courses, the organisation and the people, food and hotels are all amazing. Everything is fantastic and I love this place.”
There was some consolation for Canonica in the team competition, as he and his team amassed a total of 268 Stableford points to win by two points.
During a memorable week, players, friends and their families had the opportunity to relax and unwind away from the fairways by enjoying the revamped accommodation at The Westin Resort Costa Navarino, alongside the destination’s gastronomy, leisure and cultural experiences. They joined an engaging programme of social events, before the tournament was brought to a fitting finale with the prize-giving ceremony.
The event annually attracts an international field of professionals and amateurs, with each team consisting of one professional and three amateurs competing for a range of individual and team prizes. Since the first edition, it has attracted 2,478 players from 39 countries. Sanctioned by the Confederation of Professional Golf and supported by the Hellenic Golf Federation and the PGA of Greece, the pro-am remains one of the most important tournaments in the destination’s golfing calendar.
AEGEAN was the title sponsor and the official air carrier of the tournament. Athens International Airport, Alpha Private Bank and Korres were the event’s gold sponsors. Pratt & Whitney, AerCap, Gallagher and Clyde & Co, Coca Cola Tria Epsilon, Adidas and Cellier supported as silver sponsors, while Vodafone and Cenergy Holdings were the tournament’s bronze sponsors. Other supporters included Urwantschky Jacobsen, Autohellas Hertz, TaylorMade, Kokotos Estate, La Cucina and TEKA Systems. Vourakis Jewelry crafted the trophies, while XPENG Greece sponsored the ‘Hole-in-One’ trophy.