"GOLF IN PORTUGAL" - NEWSLETTER - Nº 71

Welcome to the December 2007 edition of the monthly "Golf in Portugal" Newsletter.

 "LUCKY GOLFER 2007"
The Grand Draw to choose the one person to be the “Lucky Golfer” for 2007 took place at our annual party at the beginning of January in the Algarve. We wish to congratulate the winner

Miles Meredith Jones


who is now entitled to receive from the Portugal-info Network a credit of € 2.000,00 to be spent in the Algarve during 2008. The money can be spent in an Algarve Hotel of the winner’s choice, on green fees, car hire, or, a combination. Plans are in already in progress for Miles to play the two latest courses to open in the Algarve, the Monte Rei and the Quinta de Vale Courses.

Drawing the winning name from the 120 golfers who qualified for this final draw. As readers can see from the photograph this was taken on a typical winter's sunny day!

General
Algarve & Lisbon & North Portugal & Portuguese Islands

Readers could easily be forgiven for thinking that this merry group of golfers were helping the winner of "Lucky Golfer 2007", Miles Meredith Jones, to celebrate his good fortune. However, this is really a photograph of happy winning golfers on New Year's Eve on the Penina Course, having taken part in the "Champagne Piper Heidsiek Golf Tournament". The first place going to a Team consisted of John Philipson and Anoren O'Laughton, whilst, close behind was the Team composed of António Castelo and Francisco Brito.

The Quinta da Ria and the Quinta de Cima was the scene for the battle to chose the pair of golfers to travel to India for the final in February of the Final of the "Gof & Communications" Trophy. The winners were Abílio Silva and Artur Ferreira. Carlos Poucochinho was the winner of the 1º "Caipimel Trophy" which was played on Palmares. The 2007 "Tranquilidade" final was played on the Pinheiros Altos Course which went to Pedro Figueiredo for Mens and Joana Silva Pinta for Ladies. The Old Course was the setting for the "Blue & Green" Tournament which was won by José Rodrigues. The Algarve was once again the location for the 7º "Seniors Qualifiers Event", the final being played on the Pinta Course in Carvoeiro. The only Portuguese resident to pass the final phase and qualify with the international names was Brian Evans who hails from Pinheiros Altos near Almancil.

The closing international event for the Algarve is without doubt the "Grand Trophy of Vilamoura" which is in its 20th year. 410 golfers from many countries enjoyed excellent weather and the event is divided into two distinct tournaments. The first was won by Maria Augusta Lopes and the second was won by José Cândido de Oliveira.

On 7th December the Estoril Course was the home of the annual "Alan Jones Trophy" which was won by Sally Buxton, the "Grand Prix Shield" by Peter Rydin and the "Dia Evans Trophy" by Ron Goddard. The Portuguese Architects Golf Association ended their 2007 season on the Montado Course, with Bleck da Silva taking the Trophy and António Segurado in second.

The only important event recorded in December in the north of Portugal was the "2007 Áxis Trophy" held at Ponte de Lima Course. It was won by Arthur van der Hart with Fernando Lopes in second place.

The important "BPI Golf Teams Cup" which is fiercely competed for during the year on different courses was won by the Lanidor Team. They won in the final round in the Azores one point on the Terceira Course. Second place went to J.M. Castelo Branco P. Ferros Team with LD Construções in third place.

The 10º "Sport TV World Corporate Challenge" took place on Porto Santo Course in Madeira. The winning team consisted of Salvador Leite Castro, Ricardo Candeias, Ruí Glória and José Carlos. The same course held a "São Martinho" Event which was won by Harry Wedemeyer.

The Azores Senior Circuit is due to be played in March with a prize pot of €uro 325.000.

International News
Peter Lonard shot a superb seven-under-par round of 65 on the final day to become a three time winner of the Cadbury Schweppes Australian PGA Championship. One back overnight, the 2002 and 2004 champion went to the lead immediately at the start of the day and finished with a three stroke margin over David Smail. Lonard climbed to World Nº 59 with a jump of 40 places.

England's John Bickerton won the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek to record his third European Tour win. He won by a stroke from compatriot Lee Slattery and Ernie Els after the South African took eight on the final hole, which including two visits to the water! Bickerton climbed 93 places in the Official World Golf Ranking to 161st.

In the season ending Volvo Masters of Asia at Thai Country Club on the Asian Tour, local hero Prayad Marksaeng was crowned Champion by a stroke from overnight leader Juvic Pagunsan and England’s Chris Rodgers. Marksaeng moved to Nº 80 with an improvement of 33 places.

Craig Parry won the MFS Australian Open by a single shot from Lee Won Joon, American Brandt Snedeker and Nick O'Hern in heavy rain at the Australian Golf Club in Sydney. This was Parry's first important win. Parry climbed to Nº 122, up 157 places and Snedeker claimed a place in the World Top 50 at Nº 47.

James Kingston completed an emotional victory at the South African Airways Open, holding off the challenge of England’s Oliver Wilson to lift his National Open Championship. Kingston shot a final round of 71 for an overall score of four under par 278 total, and one ahead of Wilson. Kingston moved up 195 places in the Official World Gold Ranking and ended 2007 as World Number 155.

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