Wednesday, 1/Dec/2004
The Vila Vita Open is now a regular feature of the Algarve golf calendar, and is being played on 4th-5th November at the Vilamoura Old Course. Dozens of businessmen, sportsmen, show biz personalities and their wives come to play in the event, relax and have fun. This amateur Open is accompanied by the German professional, Tina Fischer who plays on the LPGA Tour and ex-PGA European Tour player, Daniel Silva. On the first day they each play nine holes alongside threesomes of amateur visitors chosen by draw, and for the second round this privilege is granted to the leading six players after the opening days play. These contestants therefore have a rare chance to watch the fine-tuned techniques of pro golfers at close range and in a relaxed atmosphere. The week-long excursion includes warm-up rounds over the Palmares, Morgado and Millennium courses.

Old Course


Wednesday, 1/Dec/2004
Vila Vita Parc staged two further tournaments in November, a Pro-Am and a Sports Heroes Event. The Pro-Am is from the 7th to 12th at Palmares, Morgado and Alto Golf with prizes for the best individual gross scores (men and ladies) in addition to the gross and net team prizes. In the Sports Heroes tournament, a number of current or former professional footballers, handball and ice hockey players will try to emulate their skills at other sports on the golf course. They will play two rounds each at Palmares and Millennium courses from 14th-18th November.

Wednesday, 1/Dec/2004
The TAP Open, an international amateur golf event organised by the TAP Club has been held since 1977. As in recent years, the event is being held in the Algarve and is being played from 7th to 12th November and has attracted 270 golfers of various nationalities. It is a 72-hole stroke-play tournament on 4 courses in the Vilamoura area, Laguna, Millennium, Pinhal and Vila Sol..

Wednesday, 1/Dec/2004
The 17th Grande Trofeu – Vilamoura, one of the final events on Vilamouras golf calendar for 2004, is being played from 3rd to the 5th December. This popular event, is now fully booked. A considerable percentage of the players are from Portugal including national and foreign residents. The stroke-play tournament is played over 54 holes on three Vilamoura courses in several different handicap divisions for men and lady golfers, Juniors, etc.

Wednesday, 1/Dec/2004
Recent exciting news for the Algarve golf world is that an agreement was signed in Vilamoura on 25th October between the International Federation of PGA Tours, the Portuguese Tourist Board and the owners of the Vilamoura golf courses, whereby the Victoria course will host the World Golf, in November, 2005. This will be by far the most prestigious golfing event held to date in Portugal, with a prize fund amounting to at least US$4 million. A total of 24 countries, including the hosts, will have two-player teams taking part in this unique tournament - known in its previous times as the Canada Cup – and which was won by Tiger Woods and David Duval in 2000.

Victoria Golf Course


Wednesday, 1/Dec/2004
November is a nerve-wracking time for senior pros aspiring to play on the European Tour for the over 50s. Two 36-hole pre-qualifying tournaments for the 2005 Tour are being played at Palmares and Penina on 18th-19th November, with those making the grade going on to play a grueling 72 hole Q-School final over the Vale da Pinta Course near Carvoeiro.

Monday, 1/Nov/2004
The Golf & Communication circuit, now in its 14th year, included nine golf tournaments in 2004, four of which in the Algarve. In October, the last on was staged at the Le Meridien Penina championship course. About 100 golfers, mainly from the rest of continental Portugal and took part in the two-day 36-hole aggregate Stableford competition, blessed with the usual warm sunny weather. The best gross prize was won by Eng. Mario M. Pinto, former president of the Portuguese Golf Federation, who amassed 59 points. As for the net results, Antonio Santos, San Lorenzo golf director, won the 1st handicap division with 74 points, with the 2nd division prize going to Jose Vicente (76), both qualifying for the final in Thailand. Maria Trindade won the ladies prize with 53 points, and Celestiano Henriques was the best senior player.

Penina Championship Golf Course


Monday, 1/Nov/2004
Officially opened a few weeks previously, the Victoria course was the venue for a tournament held to raise funds for victims of the fires in the Caldeirao Hills during last summer. The individual Stableford tournament attracted 92 players who contributed generously to this worthy cause at the new Victoria course in Vilamoura. The amount raised was close to € 10,000 which helped alleviate in some small way the suffering of those whose lives have been affected. The three main prizes went to players of different nationalities: 1st Zhao Heng Yo (38 points); 2nd and 3rd – Jose Antonio Ferreira and Chris Norman respectively, both with 37.

Victoria Golf Course


Monday, 1/Nov/2004
Ever since the Balaia nine-hole par-3 course near Albufeira opened in 2001 they have held regular tournaments. Thanks this year to the generosity of Graeme and Christine Mitchell from Scotland a new permanent annual Cup has been presented to Balaia. For those unfamiliar with the Scottish word quaich, this is a wide, silver cup of kindness traditionally filled with whisky and passed round from one person to another. There were 62 players in the tournament played on an aggregate stroke-play pairs format, and the two-some of J. M. Rodrigues and Joao Figueiredo won with a net score of 55 strokes (1 over par).

Balaia Golf Course


Monday, 1/Nov/2004
During the last week of October, the Tivoli Almansor Golf Classic took place with a field of almost 150 players, mostly from Ireland. The event commenced with a Texas Scramble at Salgados, won by the team of James Mason, Stanley Jelly, Robert Lipsett and Marie Duignam with 55 net. The main Stableford played over three rounds at Morgado, Salgados and the Vilamoura Old Course. There were daily prizes for the best scores for men and ladies, but the overall net winner was Mr. Pat Connolly with an outstanding 127 points, eight ahead of 2nd placed Michael Barret, with Mrs Catherine Connon third on 116. Tony Heverin won the gross prize for his score of 106 points.

Friday, 1/Oct/2004
Four clubs, including newcomers Carvoeiro, took part in this years Western Algarve Inter-Club Trophy held at the Boavista course just west of Lagos. The Stableford scores of all 16 team members counted towards the result and the Boavista club, holders of the trophy since its inception in 2002, retained it – but only just! They scored 318 points, a single point ahead of Palmares, with Carvoeiro on 296 and Parque da Floresta 10 further back. This is a different tournament from the inter-club league which is a match-play event in which golfers from many more clubs in the Algarve participate every summer.

Boavista Golf Course


Friday, 1/Oct/2004
At the Victoria – Vilamouras new course designed by Arnold Palmer – staged the Portugal Qualifying Event for The Duke of Edinburgh Cup. The occasion was also marked by the official opening of this magnificent 18 holes adjacent to the Millennium and Laguna courses. Many personalities from Portugal and abroad took part in this prestige event organised to help raise funds for youth development programmes run by The Duke of Edinburghs Award and the Henry the Navigator Award, (Premio Infante Dom Henrique its equivalent in Portugal). As in previous years the event was graced by the presence of the Earl of Wessex, Trustee of the Award, and the Countess, Sophie Rhys-Jones. With this grand opening of the Victoria Course in Vilamoura the owners, Lusotur S.A., have now 5 courses in Vilamoura under their ownership – the others being the Old Course, Millennium, Pinhal and Laguna. At the helm of this new course is Sr Eugenio Reviriego who has moved to take up his present position from previously being Director of Golf at the renowned Sotogrande Complex in Spain. He brings with him his considerable experience, having been in this previous post for over 14 years. At Sotogrande the courses are primarily run for the benefit of their member which is different policy from the Vilamoura courses. With this in mind he has adopted a policy to bring to visiting players at the Victoria the same high quality of service, on or off the course that is to be expected in top members-only clubs. As an example, the starting tee times are never to be less than at 15 minute intervals - a figure not normally practiced on most commercial courses. Sr Reviriego enjoys a handicap of 6 and firmly believes in the potential of the Victoria Course. His opinion is that after the course has properly matured, it will have the assets to become a “flagship amongst the many fine courses of Europe.

Victoria Golf Course


Friday, 1/Oct/2004
Boavista G.C. also held a charity event in September that raised close to €4,000 which was donated to both the Lagos voluntary fire brigade and the many victims of the devastating wild-fires that have seriously affected the lives of all the families living in the hills in the Algarve hinterland. Sponsors of the event included Pebble Pools, Luz Ocean Club, Tivoli Lagos Hotel, Fontenario Restaurant and the Ninfa Bar (Espiche), Proper Golf 2000, as well as Boavista club members Brian Chadbourn and Stan Hill.

Boavista Golf Course


Friday, 1/Oct/2004
On 9th October, golfers were able to contribute towards charity funds to be donated to the victims of these widespread fires this past summer in the Serra de Caldeirao in the central Algarve. This also provides a golden opportunity for golfers to try out the new Victoria course in Vilamoura on which the tournament is to be played. The minimum contribution is only €100, which includes 18 holes of golf with lunch at the Victoria Club House.

Victoria Golf Course


Friday, 1/Oct/2004
The 9th Tivoli Almansor Golf Classic is being held from 24th–28th October, opening with a 4-player team Texas Scramble tournament on either 24th or 25th at Salgados, followed by the individual Stableford Classic on 26th-28th on 3 different courses: Morgado, Salgados and Vilamoura Old Course. Looking a little further ahead, the TAP Open Golf Tournament for amateurs, an annual event held since 1977, is being played from 7th-12th November. The format is stroke-play over 72 holes on the Vila Sol, Laguna, Millennium and Pinhal courses in Vilamoura, preceded by two practice rounds. Players come each year from most countries where TAP Air Portugal has destinations to participate in this popular tournament.

Wednesday, 1/Sep/2004
The sister course to the Morgado course in the 980-hectare Morgado do Reguengo located north of Portimao has now been seeded. Named the Golfe dos Alamos, the new course is scheduled for opening in about one year. (In case you think the name has anything to do with that famous battle, the Portuguese word Alamo means nothing more than a poplar tree – but it will be a name to remember!). Golfe dos Alamos will also have smaller greens than the Morgado course which will place a premium on accurate approach shots. A new and shorter access road from the Portimao to Monchique road to the Club House and facilities is almost complete.

Alamos Golf Course


Wednesday, 1/Sep/2004
Another course under construction and due for completion in the Spring of 2006 is the long-awaited Jack Nicklaus designed layout at the future Monte Rei Golf & Country Club. This the first of two 18-hole courses planned for a 420-hectare area located about half an hour drive to the east of Faro. A mere 8% of the project will be built-up area incorporating an exclusive village community and one of the top American landscape architects is involved with the planning of the entire site. The architect of the second course is Ross McMurray of European Golf Design.

Monte Rei Golf Course


Wednesday, 1/Sep/2004
During this past August, Vilamoura held its annual golf-fest for all the youngsters and junior players which involved tuition by the club pros and culminating in tournaments over the Laguna course according to age groups of boys and girls. Fifty-five players came from Spain to play with local Portuguese and foreign resident youngsters. Some fine scores were posted for the main 36-hole event, such as 2-under par gross 142s carded by Daniel Silva in the division for 15/16-year-olds, as well as Ricardo M. Gouveia and Antonio Aquilera Ortega (Spain) in the 13/14-year-olds division. Ortega won the overall 8th Vilamoura Junior Championship after a play-off, and the overall girl winner was Patricia Lobato Moreno (15/16-year olds division) with 144 strokes, level par, gross score. Incidentally, one of the most famous former pupils of the junior school at Vilamoura is 24-year-old Inder van Weerelt and now a rookie on the PGA Europro Tour. With his win at the Cardrona Open in the Scottish borders already under his belt bringing him to 4th in the Order of Merit. His immediate aim is to be one of the top 5 at the end of the season to qualify for the Challenge Tour. Inder, and former Dutch and German Amateur title-holder, is also making an attempt at the main PGA European Tour qualifying-school. Another Vilamoura golf school ex-pupil is Ricardo Santos who has had a good year in European competitions. He scored 66 in the opening qualifying round of the British Amateur over St. Andrews Old Course and made the match-play stage - but lost in the 2nd round. In early August he won the Swiss Amateur by 7 strokes with a 15-under-par score of 273, establishing a course record of 65 in the last round. This win entitled him to participate in the Omega European Masters from 2nd – 5th September. He also played in the Continental (EGA) Boys Team against GB & I at Nairn for the St. Andrews Trophy on 27th-28th August. The hopes of Ricardo and his team-mates were dashed in the strong winds and the home side won by 17 to 7 points.

Laguna Golf Course


Wednesday, 1/Sep/2004
The final of the UKs Lombard annual golf tournament takes place at San Lorenzo from 4th-6th September - played by sixteen amateur finalists and their professional partners. Quinta da Boavista is hosting a charity tournament on 11th September to raise funds for the Lagos Voluntary Fire Department and victims of the serious wildfires that have raged throughout the Algarve over the past couple of years.

San Lorenzo Golf Course


Wednesday, 1/Sep/2004
The Duke of Edinburgh Cups qualifying event in Portugal will be held at the new Victoria Golf Course in Vilamoura. This is also a charity event, organised under the auspices of International Golf for Youth, linked to the Duke of Edinburghs Award and the equivalent organisation in Portugal, the Premio Infante Dom Henrique (Prince Henry the Navigator Award). The net winners in the Ladies and Mens divisions will be invited to play in the final of The Duke of Edinburgh Cup in the UK in October. This tournament in Vilamoura will be highlighted by a visit by Their Royal Highnesses the Earl and Countess of Wessex, the Earl being a Trustee of the foundation.

Victoria Golf Course


Sunday, 1/Aug/2004
The Portuguese Golf Federation held its National Seniors Championship on the 4th to the 5th of July at Morgado do Reguengo, the course to the north of the town of Portimao.

Morgado Golf Course


Sunday, 1/Aug/2004
On 17th July the 5th ASMAL a charity tournament was held on the Vilamoura Millennium course. This worthy charity organisation helps re-integrate people with mental health problems into the workforce.

Millennium Golf Course


Thursday, 1/Jul/2004
Local knowledge prevailed at the Norman Collisson Foundation Cup on 5th June at Alto Golf, with the home club teams coming in first and third on 120.6 and 123.6 strokes net respectively. The Texas Scramble event is played by teams of 8 players divided into two groups of four, with exactly one-eights of the combined handicap of each group being deducted from its own score. The Palmares team was placed second with 122.1.

Alto Golf Course


Thursday, 1/Jul/2004
The second tournament of the Golfe & Comunicacao 2004 circuit was sponsored by Le Meridien Penina and played on their Championship course. Now in its 14th year, the circuit organised by Sr. Mario Carvalhosa comprises of nine 36-hole aggregate Stableford tournaments throughout continental Portugal played during the year. Early in the New Year all the winners qualify to play in the final, usually played in another country. The winners at the Penina were: 1st gross – Miguel Abreu (60 points); 1st net (men) under 12 hcap - Mario Dias (81); 1st net (men) 13-24 hcap – Jose Monteiro (75); 1st net (ladies) – Ulla Bischoff (75), and 1st net (seniors) – Henrique Mota (68).

Penina Championship Golf Course


Thursday, 1/Jul/2004
In mid-June, golfers at 20 courses in 11 countries and 5 continents around the globe played in the Christel House Charity Open, all on the same day – starting in India and ending in Hawaii. Christel House is a charity organisation run by that focuses on improving the lives of impoverished and under-privileged children worldwide. The winning 4-player team from each country goes forward to play in a world championship held at the famous Westin Mission Hills Resort near Palm Springs, California and hosted by Gary Player. In Portugal, the tournament was held at the Gramacho course near Carvoeiro.

Gramacho Golf Course


Thursday, 1/Jul/2004
The new Arnold Palmer-designed Victoria Golf Course in Vilamoura was prematurely opened especially to host the 5th annual President of the Republic Cup on the 19th June. This invitational team 4-player event welcomes participants from all over Europe and the rest of Portugal to take part in the 18-hole competition played this year by 204 golfers which also including the Portuguese President. The winning team was captained by Stefano Saviotti and included Luis Black, Frederick Phyler and Nicolas Lamotte. The special prize for lady players went to Anneli Anderson, a member of the highest scoring team with a female golfer.

Victoria Golf Course


Tuesday, 1/Jun/2004
The PGF and Ford sponsored the National Amateur Championships for both men and ladies at the Morgado de Reguengo Course north of Portimao during the first week in May. Almost 100 men and 13 ladies in the 1st and 2nd handicap divisions took part, with a 36-hole stroke-play qualifier preceding the deciding match-play knockout phase. In the mens section, Nuno Campino (Paco de Lumiar Club, Lisbon) defeated Tiago Cruz (Morgadinhos, Vila Sol) by 2&1 in the final. Hugo Santos (Vilamoura GC), was the leading qualifier with a 3-under par tally of 141, but lost to Cruz in the semi-final by 3&2. The lady champion was Carla Cruz (Estoril) who beat Carolina Catanho (Santo da Serra, Madeira) by 3&2.

Morgado Golf Course


Tuesday, 1/Jun/2004
The Sir Henry Cooper & Mike Reid Charity Golf Classic, sponsored by Sony, was again a resounding success. After individual competitions at Penina and San Lorenzo courses, plus the first two rounds of the Classic team event played at Boavista and Palmares, the grand finale was played at the host venue of the Penina course designed by Sir Henry Cotton. A total of 22 Celeb/Am teams took part in the Classic. In an exciting climax led by Nigel Mansell by pipping comedian Stan Boardmans team by a mere 2 Stableford points. Nigel Mansell, who is a 1 handicap golfer and his son Leo who plays off 3, openly admitted that they enjoyed some local advantage with Penina staff members Leonel Rio and Joaquim Palma in their team.

Penina Championship Golf Course


Tuesday, 1/Jun/2004
After the Robe di Kappa Ladies European Tour Portuguese Open at Aroeira on the Costa Azul (south of Lisbon), 16 of the professionals came south to the Algarve to take part in the 4th Barringtons Club Annual Charity Texas Scramble. A total of 34,000 Euros was raised and donated evenly between ACCA (children in need in the Algarve) and Eyes for Zimbabwe (cataract surgery for people in that country).

Tuesday, 1/Jun/2004
At Pinheiros Altos, the team composed of Solheim Cup player Elisabeth Esterl, Ian Cater, Alan Beasley and Doug Moody won with a score of 56 strokes, followed by teams headed by Stefania Croce and Cecilie Lundgreen. The next day at Quinta do Lago, the winning team was Cecilie Lundgreeen with Steve Whittell, Simon Berger and Bob Oliphant (54.4 strokes), with Ludivine Kreutzs team 2nd and Katie Bakkens 3rd.

Pinheiros Altos Golf Course


Tuesday, 1/Jun/2004
The Casinos do Algarve & Quinta da Ria Masters, a 54-hole professional event on this years PGA Europro Tour calendar produced a thrilling decider with the Limerick Pro, Tim Rice, edging out Lee Slattery from Southport at the second play-off hole after tying on 204, or 12 under the Quinta de Cima par. Slattery, who won the year-end Europro Tour Championship at Parque da Floresta in 2001, started the last round in 2nd place on 136, one behind Mark Smith, and with birdies on the 1st four holes, but followed this with 14 pars. Rice, however birdied holes 14, 15 and 16 to force the tie, and eventually take the £12,000 first prize - an early present for his 27th birthday on 3rd June. Slattery took home the £6,000 runner-up cheque, with Mark Smith earning £3,000 for 3rd place on 10 under par. Dutch rookie Inder van Weerelt who had come in equal 6th at the recent East Lothian Masters fell to a 38th finish after a promising opening round of 68. Inders parents are keen Vilamoura Golf Club members who have dedicated several years co-organising the Junior Golf School.

Quinta de Cima Golf Course


Tuesday, 1/Jun/2004
The final event of the 2004 Europro Tour Championship will be held in Portugal from 15th to the 17th of October at a course still to be announced. Last year the Palmares was the venue for this championship which determines the final Order of Merit of the year and those players who earn cards to play on the Challenge Tour.

Tuesday, 1/Jun/2004
With six players tying for 1st place on a level par score of 73 net, it was no mean feat to decide the winner at this years Sir Henry Cotton Trophy at Le Meridien Penina. After the committees deliberation and careful checking of handicaps and scorecards, Tomas Gouveia was declared the victor of the handsome trophy. The runner-up was D. Moody, followed by Bob Coe, Mark Stilwell and Jorge Oliveira. The mens gross prize went to A. Murphy, and the ladies to Mrs. Watson.

Penina Championship Golf Course


Tuesday, 1/Jun/2004
The Collisson Trophy is being held at Alto Golf on the 5th of June. This popular Texas Scramble event played by 8-golfer teams, split into two groups of four, is played annually to mark the anniversary of the Alto course.

Alto Golf Course


Tuesday, 1/Jun/2004
The Gramacho course at Carvoeiro, is hosting the Qualifying event for the Christel House Open on 12th June. The 4-ball team Texas Scramble costs 95 Euros per person, including dinner, and there is a chance to win 2 rounds of golf to be played at the World Championship Tournament at the Westin Mission Hills in Palm Springs, California, with Gary Player. This is part of the Christel House childrens International Charity 2004 Tournament and similar qualifiers are being played in countries all over the world.

Gramacho Golf Course


Tuesday, 1/Jun/2004
The Wolf Valley Charity Competition is being held at Vale do Lobo on 20th June to raise funds for the Almancil Community Centre and the Sao Joao da Venda primary school. Rugby player Jason Leonard, and footballers Luis Figo and David Beckham have donated autographed items for auction at a fund-raising gala dinner following a golf tournament. Other items autographed by Pros attached to Vale do Lobo, Brian Davis, Jarmo Sandelin and Antonio Sobrinho will also be on sale. There will be tombola prizes and a trick golf demonstration by Steve Walker and a putting competition. Last year a similar event raised about 68,000 Euros for good causes.

Vale do Lobo Royal Golf Course


Tuesday, 1/Jun/2004
The Penina Course is once again the venue of the Sir Henry Cooper & Mike Reid Charity Golf Classic being played this year from 15th to the 22nd of May. As usual a number of celebrities will also be taking part including the racing driver Nigel Mansell.

Penina Championship Golf Course


Tuesday, 1/Jun/2004
The spectacular new Victoria Course designed by Arnold Palmer will be opened for play from the 1st of June making it the 5th course at Vilamoura. The course is a potential candidate to become one of the best in Europe. The course is built on slightly undulating terrain not far inland from the beach, and features large greens and several man-made lakes, many interconnected through gentle cascades. The first course tournament will be by invitation and takes place in June is to honour the golf playing President of Portugal. The next will be the Audi World Finals in October and is a local corporate team event. An Expresso & BPI Tournament will held later in December. Arnold Palmer will personally be present in late September for the official inauguration when he will have the opportunity to test his own creation.

Victoria Golf Course


Saturday, 1/May/2004
Miguel Angel Jimenez - (Spain) Algarve Open de Portugal Penina - Portimao - Algarve - Portugal - 1st to 4th April, 2004 April teed off with the Algarve Open de Portugal at the Penina and was helped by the perfect spring weather making the tournament a great success. It has been a long time since the favorite won and Miguel Angel Jimenez did it in style by exploding from the sand and tapping in for birdie on the 72nd to take the title by two strokes over another 40-year-old player, Terry Price from Australia. Terry Prices last round 64 equaled the course record set about an hour before by Robert Karlsson, propelling the former up the leaderboard from 33rd to the runner-up spot. Miguel Angel Jimenez therefore made sure of his place in this years Ryder Cup team with this victory.

Penina Championship Golf Course


Saturday, 1/May/2004
After last years successful charity event in the Algarve which raised over 37,000 Euros, several professionals - including Lis Esterl, Lisa Hed and Cecilie Lundgreen - from the Ladies European Tour - will be here again to participate in another Pro-Am and golf clinic to raise funds for ACCA (local children in need) and Eyes for Zimbabwe (restoring sight to Zimbabweans). The clinic, which is free, will be on the 10th of May, followed by 5-ball Texas Scrambles for both amateurs of both sexes at Pinheiros Altos and Quinta do Lago (11th-12th May).

Pinheiros Altos Golf Course


Thursday, 1/Apr/2004
The Mens and Ladies Portuguese International Amateur Match-Play Championships were held from 10th to 14th March on the new Quinta de Cima course just east of Tavira. Gillian OLeary from Ireland defeated Scottish girl Liz McKinnon in the Ladies final by 5 and 4. 20-year-old Gillian is a member of Cork GC and represented Ireland in the under-21s in Moscow in 2001.

Quinta de Cima Golf Course


Monday, 1/Mar/2004
Frenchman Julien Foret was the winner of the mens Amateur, beating Tiago Cruz from Estoril GC by 3 and 2. Strangely enough both finalists had tied for 22nd place in the 36-hole qualifying event for the match-play stage seedings, and it was the first time Julien Foret had competed outside France. Tiago Cruz eliminated several higher ranking golfers on his way to the final in which he lost his previous form in his attempt to bring off a triumph for the host country. Taking the opportunity of the presence in the Algarve of the leading Portuguese amateurs, the Irish amateur squad, which was training locally at the time of the above championships, played a friendly match against the Portuguese at Vila Sol which ended in a 4-4 draw. Leading amateur, Hugo Santos of Vilamoura GC, has been selected to play for Europe in the 4th Sir Michael Bonallack Trophy against the Asia & Pacific team. It takes place on 21st to 23rd April at Circolo del Golf Roma Acquasanta.

Monday, 1/Mar/2004
Boavista Golf, the new course just west of Lagos, recently hired Paul Tipper teaching pro. Paul is no stranger to the Algarve, having worked at Carvoeiro Golf and Pine Cliffs in the 1990s. Fluent in English, Portuguese and German, he has also given golf tuition at the Biblis Golf Club.

Boavista Golf Course


Sunday, 1/Feb/2004
The 9th Henry Cotton International Team Trophy was held on the Le Meridien Penina Championship course but unfortunately due to heavy rains it was shortened from 36 holes down to 18. Twenty-three 4-player teams took part including two from Ashridge Golf Club, one from Temple and seven from Penina – all clubs where Sir Henry worked as a professional. The Temple Club team won with 77 Stableford points (Alastair Broom/Alan Mann, 34 pts. – better ball - and Stuart Cripps/Keith Adderley, 43). Also on 77 pts, but losing out on the count-back were the Ashworth and Press 2 teams.

Penina Championship Golf Course


Sunday, 1/Feb/2004
One of the biggest tournaments in the Algarve is the Vilamoura Grande Trofeu which has now been played for 16 years. It is a 54-hole stroke-play competition over three Vilamoura courses including The Old Course, covering several handicap divisions for both sexes plus a special section for the press. The overall net prize was also decided by a count-back after Joaquim Duque, Dina Ferreira and Antonio Mendonca tied on 222 strokes. The first prize then turned out to be won by Joaquim Duque. Antonio Rosado won the best gross prize with a score of 220, and Valdemar Afonso took the press trophy with 243 net.

Sunday, 1/Feb/2004
Vale do Lobo have signed up the PGA European Tour player Brian Davis as a member of their stable of touring professionals for a period of five years. Placed 9th in the 2003 Volvo Order of Merit, Brian had an excellent year with twelve Top 10 finishes. He joins Swedens Jarmo Sandelin and Antonio Sobrinho (Portugals leading golf pro) on the team of touring professionals at this well-known Algarve resort. Vale do Lobo also recently granted the use of premises to house the Portuguese Golf Federations new regional office. The Federation President, Sr. Manuel Agrellos, who attended the opening ceremony, is also the current President of the European Golf Association, and a member of the R&A.

Vale do Lobo Royal Golf Course


Sunday, 1/Feb/2004
Vilamoura hosted its well-established International Senior Ladies event, played over all four courses at the resort. There was a total field of 125, with players from 14 European countries, in this series of competitions played in three handicap divisions. In the 0-12.0 handicap division, scratch player Cecilia Mourgue DAlgue from France won the main 36-hole competition with rounds of 76 and 78 at Vilamoura Old Course. Marina Buscaini from Italy was second, 3 strokes behind. Marian Sousa e Melo from Portugal was the 12.1-18.0 handicap division winner scoring 154 net over the Pinhal course, with the best gross going to Joan Lawler from the UK (180 strokes). In the 3rd division (18.1 – 24.0), Graciete Gibbon and Deniza Bronwen were the net and gross prize-winners, with scores of 145 and 182 respectively at the Millennium course. In the better ball event, Spaniards Vicky Pertierra and Reggi Rodriguez took the gross prize with a score of 71 over Pinhal, with the net prize going to Emília Jordao and Carminda Ribeiro (66 strokes). The higher handicap division was played at the Laguna course with the pairing of Carmen Tomas/Graciette Gibbon taking the net prize with 68, and A. Styles & Jean Richardson the gross (86).

Thursday, 1/Jan/2004
Almost 100 golfers took part in the 8th annual Amateur Open Tournament organized by the Vila Vita Resort. After practice rounds played at various courses, including the new Morgado de Reguengo near Portimao, the 36-hole revnt took place on The Old Course at Vilamoura. At the pre-tournament cocktail party six names were drawn amongst the contestants for the privilege of playing nine of the 1st round holes with German pro and 4-tournament winner Tina Fischer. Another nine players were then selected to play with Vila Vitas touring pro Daniel Silva, a one-time winner of the Jersey Open on the PGA European Tour. In the mens division, the well-known German actor Michael Lesch was the big winner with an aggregate of 61 Stableford points. It was an emotional win for him since he is a cancer survivor having gone through lengthy chemo-therapy and other treatment. Magdalena Lassl triumphed in the ladies’ division with 66 points, and joined Lesch in taking their respective gross prize.

Old Course


Thursday, 1/Jan/2004
Many senior professionals and a handful of amateurs assembled at Palmares and the Penina courses in an attempt to pass the 36-hole pre-qualifying hurdle prior to taking part in the 72-hole PGA European Seniors Final Q-School which was played over the Vale de Pinta course near Carvoeiro. Amongst the hopefuls was the former Formula I champion and aspiring pro-golfer Nigel Mansell. Unfortunately he slipped up at the finish line with bogeys on each of his last two holes and leaving him just one stroke off the cut at 153 strokes. Brian Evans of Pinheiros Altos qualified for the Final where only the first eight players secured full cards to play on the 2004 Seniors Tour - the next eight receive conditional cards. Brian unfortunately was placed in 27th place. It was an exciting finish for the leaders as Scotsman Craig Maltman tied for 1st place with Bruce Heuchan from Canada and John Mashego of South Africa. In the sudden death playoff Mashego bogeyed the first hole and the two others were to play another 4 holes before Heuchan scored a birdie to beat Maltman for the top spot. There was a 5-way playoff for 16th place for the last conditional card that was won by Frenchman, Philippe Dugeny.

Thursday, 1/Jan/2004
Last month we mentioned our Algarve pro Antonio Sobrinho. Although failing to make the top few to be promoted from the PGA Europro Tour to the Challenge Tour he did however qualify for the last stage of the main European Tour Q-School, played over 6 rounds. Antonio failed to reach his potential and unfortunately missed the 72-hole cut.