Each month 10 names are randomly selected from all golfers that have used our online Booking Form. From these 10 golfers a second draw is made for the winner of the prize sponsored by Hotels Le Meridien ***** in the Algarve. The monthly prize includes a standard "weekend break accommodation" with breakfast for two in the Hotel specified, together with a round of golf for two guests on the course attached to the Hotel.

All of the 10 golfers of each month will be listed in our Newsletter and notified by separate e-mail that they now qualify for the annual Grand Draw. In the Grand Draw one person will be the “Lucky Golfer” and receive from our own site www.algarvegolf.net a sum of € 3.000,00. (2008 increase of € 1.000), The money can be spent in an Algarve Hotel of the winner’s choice, on green fees, car hire or, a combination.

The 10 nominated golfers who are included in Year 2008 for the month of July and are entered into the "Grand Draw" at the end of December:

Alan Cowin - Colin Clark - Garry Fairbairn - Glenn McIntosh - Ges Bell - Jack McGovern - Kenn O'Riorden - Neil Turner - Pat Eastwood - Siobhan Cullen

General News
The Golfe e Comunicação series of tournaments played throughout Portugal which is now in its 18th year, is run by Mário Carvalhosa and his able staff. In 2008 it includes eleven 36-hold individual Stableford events, eight of which in the Algarve plus one each at Montebelo in the north, the Azores archipelago (Furnas and Batalha courses), and finally at the Ballesteros designed layout on Porto Santo Island (near Madeira). The net winners in two handicap divisions of these 11 tournaments qualify to play in a grand final that takes place early next year near Capetown, South Africa. An impressive list of sponsors provide support and prizes, names such as Le Méridien, Black & Decker, Europcar, Johnnie Walker, Lacoste, Luso mineral water, Nevada Bob's Golf shops, Sata Airlines and Solverde Casinos, to mention a few. The latest tournament was staged at the Le Méridien Penina Sir Henry Cotton course where several fantastic scores were returned.

Pedro Saldanha taking the scratch to 12 handicap division with an aggregate of 78 points, and João Navega won the 12.1 to 18 handicap division with the same tally. Other main prize-winners at the event were: Constantin Schmid (best gross), Fátima Pita (best lady) and António Osório (best senior). The players were welcomed to the famous 5-star buffet dinner at the Le Méridien Penina hotel after the first round, and also a trick golf show.

We mentioned Alan Shearer in last month's newsletter and he remained in the Algarve for the Mackenzie Sir Bobby Robson's 5th Celebrity Golf Classic at Vila Sol on 5th July. This charity event raises funds for the Refúgio Aboim Ascensão in Faro that looks after about 95 children up to the age of 5. Many other celebrities supported the tournament and its fund-raising activities, including Portuguese internationals Paulo Sousa and Ricardo, as well as Ron Atkinson, Martin Chivers, Pat Jennings, Alan Brazil, Francis Lee, Tim Brooke-Taylor, Kenny Dalglish, Steve Bruce, Mick McCarthy, George Burley, Ray Clemence, Jonny Gould and Sam Allardyce and others. Several autographed football shirts, memorabilia, etc. were auctioned off during the gala dinner and the total raised for the home was about € 72,000, including a Ronaldo shirt that fetched £ 6,000. As for the tournament, the Optimum Consultancy team captained by former Manchester United player Frank Stapleton scooped the top prize with 88 Stableford points, one more than three teams including the one with afore-mentioned Portuguese players plus other former footballers Carlos Xavier and Frederico Rosa.

More famous footballers were in evidence at David Seaman's Safe Hands Charity Golf Classic staged for the 7th year running at the Parque da Floresta Resort. Sponsored by Zurich Intl. Solutions and HSBC Global Asset Management, the 36-hole tournament attracted 22 teams captained by sports and entertainment celebrities. Footballers present, apart from host David Seaman MBE, included Martin Peters MBE of World Cup 1966 fame, David Platt, Bob Wilson and Frank Stapleton, and amongst the celebrities were Johnnie Briggs MBE, Bradley Walsh, Chris Fairbrass, Colin Salmon, Dane Bowers, Gareth Gates, Kirsty Gallacher and Ben Sheperd. Many valuable prizes were up for grabs at the auction which raised the phenomenal amount of £145,000 for the Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research. The tournament winning team comprised Rugby star Kyran Bracken MBE, Jamie Burton, Craig Young and Tommy Maher representing Johnson Fitness.

Following the acquisition of a significant share in Alto Golf & Country Club at the beginning of this year by retired Navy Commandant José Barroso Pereira and his son, as well as the appointment of Mr. Ed. Edwards as golf director, improvements to the course and golf facilities have started by the complete renovation of the greens which is being carried out in stages. The golf complex has also been holding a special introductory golf instruction programme from 30th June to 15th August, in conjunction with the local school authorities and golf pro, Kevin Barry, has been providing beginners' lessons to youngsters at the Alto Golf practice area

The Oceânico Algarve Championship, an event on the PGA EuroPro Tour played on the Victoria Course in Vilamoura, was a huge success, in particular for the local players as two of them – old friends Angolan-born António Sobrinho and Ricardo Santos from the Algarve - were in close contention as from the first of the three rounds. With no other challengers appearing from the chasing pack, and with the advantage of local knowledge, Sobrinho and Santos went to the 54th and final hole with the former only one stroke behind on 12 under par. A playoff seemed imminent when Santos drove into a fairway bunker but he recovered magnificently and, like his adversary, got up and down for a par to take the crystal-ware and a cheque for €16,250. Santos made a strong move by birdying the 11th to 13th holes, and to his credit, Sobrinho clawed his way back with birdies at the 14th and 17th but just fell short. Northern Ireland’s Richard Kilpatrick (Banbridge) finished in third spot at eight under par.

In spite of being the height of the summer holidays, there is still some competitive golf being played along the Algarve, such as the local derby between golfers who are Benfica and Sporting fans. A charity event sponsored by Starwood Algarve Hotels & Resorts and to be played over their three Algarve Courses, Penina, San Lorenzo and Pine Cliffs will take place on the 9th, 16th and 23rd of August - entry information can be acquired from any of these three courses.
 

Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell won The Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond Golf Club by two shots after a final round of 68 left him on 13 under par. South African James Kingston was second on 273, while Australia’s Richard Green and Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez were a shot further back in third. McDowell leaped into the World Top 30 with this win and his Official World Golf Ranking at Nº 29. Kenny Perry won his third tournament in five starts when he defeated Brad Adamonis and
Jay Williamson at the first sudden death hole at the John Deere Classic in Illinois. Perry won after both his opponents found the water on the first extra hole. The win moved Perry up four places to Nº 16.

The week's other winners were Rick Price at the Players Cup, on the Nationwide Tour, Rafael Cabrera Bello at the Credit Suisse Challenge, on the European Challenge Tour, and John Ellis at the Telus Edmonton Open, on the Canadian Tour.

Anthony Kim won the AT&T National at Congressional Country Club in Maryland, his second PGA Tour win of the year. The 23-year-old, three shots off the lead at the start of the final round, shot a bogey-free five-under-par 65 to finish on 12-under 268 and won by two strokes from Swede Fredrik Jacobson. The victory took Kim to World Number 14, an improvement of 6 places.

Ross Fisher led from wire-to-wire and with a holed bunker shot for birdie on the 72nd hole secured a seven stroke victory at the European Open held at The London Club. This second career European Tour victory moved the Wentworth Club based Fisher up 47 positions to Nº 57.

The week's other winners were David Horsey at the AGF-Allianz EurOpen de Lyon, his second win in three weeks on the European Challenge Tour and Josh Geary at the Saskatchewan Open on the Canadian Tour.

Padraig Harrington successfully defended the The Open Championship title in superb style on a windswept final day at Royal Birkdale. Harrington carded a closing round of 69 for a three over total of 283, finishing four shots clear of Ian Poulter who also shot 69. Overnight leader Greg Norman finished tied third along with Sweden's Henrik Stenson. Harrington jumped 11 places to a career high World Nº 3, while Poulter moved up to Nº 23.

On the PGA Tour Sweden's Richard S Johnson won the US Bank Championship in Milwaukie by a stroke from Ken Duke after both players birdied the 72nd hole. The victory propelled Johnson 340 places up to Nº 272.

Colt Knost won his second Nationwide Tour Event in his Rookie season as he pocketed the Price Cutter Charity Championship by a margin of four strokes to rise 151 places to Nº 212. This week's other winners were Andre Bossert and the MAN NÖ Open on the European Challenge Tour and Wes Heffernan at the Canadian Tour Players Cup.

Chez Reavie picked up his first PGA Tour victory at the the RBC Canadian Open with a final round of one-under-par 70 to finish on a 17-under-par total of 267, three strokes ahead of Tour veteran Billy Mayfair. With this win in his first full year as a PGA Tour exempt player Reavie jumps 178 places in to Nº184.

Sweden's Mikael Lundberg claimed his second Inteco Russian Open title in four years as he carded a final round of 68 for a 21-under-par total at Le Meridien Moscow Country Club and a two-shot victory over Spain's Jose Manuel Lara. Lundberg leaped 171 positions to 179th in the latest Official World Golf Ranking.

Jeev Milkha Singh returned to the Japan Golf Tour, where he enjoyed much success in 2006, and won the Nagashima Shigeo INVITATIONAL SEGA SAMMY Cup by two strokes resulting in a nine spot improvement to World Nº 66. This week's other winners were Bill Lunde at the Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational on the Nationwide Tour and Michael McGeady at the SWALEC Wales Challenge on the European Challenge Tour.