"GOLF IN PORTUGAL" - NEWSLETTER - Nº 73

Welcome to the February 2008 edition of the monthly "Golf in Portugal" Newsletter.

General - Algarve

Following awards conferred on the Algarve over the past few years, such as IAGTO's "Established Golf Destination of the Year" in 2006, and "Best Golf Destination in the World" by Germany's "Rheingolf Magazin" in 2007, it is now the turn of another German publication, "Golf Magazin" to elect the Algarve as the destination with the best courses in Europe, ahead of rivals Majorca and the West Coast of Ireland. Christopher Stilwell, Chairman of the 'Algarve Golfe' association of golf course owners, and Vice-Chairman of ATA, the Algarve Tourist Association, travelled to Cologne during the last week in February to accept the award on behalf of the region.

Still on the subject of awards, the Pestana Vale da Pinta Resort was granted the first Eco-Golf certificate issued by TÜV Rheinland Group to be given out in Portugal. In addition to the golf certificate, the resort also received an Eco-Hotel one, the objective of both being to maintain environmentally friendly policies with strict regulations on energy, water, and waste materials issues.

Further improvements to the Alto Golf & Country Club are taking place, coinciding with considerable restructuring of the resort. In January, the complex announced that Commandant José Barroso Pereira and Dr. Nuno Barroso Pereira had acquired a significant stake in the business. More golf course maintenance equipment, re-fitting of the golf shop and major landscaping improvements to the clubhouse surrounds are some of the projects under way. Mr. Ed Edwards has been appointed as the new Resort Director, having previously held senior management positions in golf resorts in the USA, Egypt, Oman and Ireland and consultancy roles with golf developments worldwide.
 

Polo, a car rental company in nearby Alvor recently sponsored an 18-hole individual Stableford tournament followed by a buffet lunch at the Alto clubhouse that dominates most of the back 9 holes. With the tricky fast greens no-one in the field of about 80 players broke par, however two tied for the two top spots in the Men's division with even-par scores of 36 points. João Salgado won on a count-back from Giuseppe Ghezzo, and Ann Earl took the Ladies' prize with 33 pts.

Oceânico Golf have announced that both the Nick Faldo and Christy O’Connor Jnr. courses at their Amendoeira Resort will now open simultaneously to a restricted number of players in September this year, prior to their grand opening the following month. The Faldo Course was to be open for limited play as from May, but Faldo Design decided to move the date back to combine the opening with that of the O’Connor Jnr Course alongside.

The Portugal Golf Show is being held at the Centro de Congressos in Lisbon from 22nd to 24th May. Apart from equipment, golf property and course construction exhibits the show includes features such as a golf fashion show, driving ranges for adults and children to try out clubs, an artificial putting green where competitions will be staged, golf simulators, etc. to entertain visitors. There will also be three floating target "greens" in the nearby Tagus River for prize approach shots contest.

The 9th annual "Old Village Classic took place on the Quinta do Lago North Course. Winners in the various categories were, Terry Fox, Fiona Butterly, Manfred Jones and Brett Lidsey.

General - Lisbon & North Portugal & Portuguese Islands
The Tagus Golf Society staged the annual Ron Newstead Cup in February on the Estoril Course. The winners were Dick Betts and Max Zimmerli with a net 64, whilst, Jimmy Gray and Henk Vaandrager took second place with 67 strokes.

International News
J.B. Holmes birdied the 72nd hole in regulation to tie, then birdied the first playoff hole to beat World Number Two Phil Mickelson at the FBR Open at TPC Scottsdale. Holmes, who had secured his debut PGA Tour win at this same event in his Rookie season of 2006, climbed to Nº 62, an improvement of 135 places. Mickelson increases the gap between him and Nº 3, Steve Stricker, to 2.71 average points.

World Number One, Tiger Woods, matched his opening round 65 in the final round at Emirates Golf Club to win the Dubai Desert Classic for a second time. Nine birdies in the round including six on the back nine were enough for a single stroke win over Martin Kaymer who finished birdie, birdie, an eagle, for a 66. Ernie Els found water on the 18th as he faced a birdie to tie and slipping to tied third position with Louis Oosthuizen.

This week's other winners were Marc Cayeux from Zimbabwe who won the Nashua Masters on the Sunshine Tour to move to World Number 303 and Australian Jarrod Lyle who won the Mexican Open on the Nationwide Tour and moves to World Number 248.

Steve Lowery shot a final round of 68 for a 10-under-par total of 278, a figure matched by the overnight leader at  the AT&T Pebble Beach. He pitched to two feet for a birdie on the 72nd hole to win the National Pro-Am title at the first extra hole with a birdie of his own at Pebble Beach's famous 18th hole. Lowery climbed 189 places to Nº 116 while Singh moved up a place to World Number 10.

S.S.P Chowrasia from India shot a 5-under-par 67 in the final round to clinch the Emaar-MGF Indian Masters title at the Delhi Golf Club. He had a bogey-free final round to win his maiden European Tour title with a four-round aggregate of nine-under par 279, two strokes ahead of Ireland's Damien McGrane. Chowrasia jumped 227 positions to Nº 161.

Shaun Norris secured his debut win on the Sunshine Tour at the inaugural Africa Open Golf Challenge at the Fish River Sun Country Club and moved to Nº 448 as he picks up his first World Ranking Points.

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