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 Hotel Le Meridien Hotel Penina ***** and Golf Course, and Hotel Dona Filipa ***** & San Lorenzo Golf Course 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. The nominated golfers who were drawn for the month of February are listed below.

Caroline Mathys - Chris Head - David McGrath - David Rennie - Eirlys Phillips
Michael O'Donnell - Paul O'Hare - Robert O'Shea - Swen Hermann - Thomas Hagborg

General News
As in the case of most destinations worldwide, golf in the Algarve has been affected by the credit crunch, not to mention unfavourable currency exchange rates, this combination of adverse conditions to players can be seen reflected in the course usage and resorts are having to adapt to the downturn in business.

The annual 'Interbarmen' week recently took place for the 30th consecutive year between the United Kingdom Bartenders Guild (UKBG) and their Portuguese counterparts, the Associação de Barmen do Algarve. Individual daily competitions were played on four days over the Quinta do Lago, Álamos, Castro Marim and Salgados courses. On the 3rd and 4th days the best players from each of the two associations faced each other in a match-play event. There was much at stake since the visitors held the cup after winning in 2008 following a long streak of wins by the local golfers. After the first round played in the four-ball better ball format, honours were even, but the Algarve barmen returned to winning ways in the singles matches to regain the trophy. The gala dinner and prize-giving took place at the Clube Humbria in Olhos D'Água near Albufeira, a holiday resort where the visitors stayed. In these associations, the word "bartenders" and "barmen" is used loosely since members are also restaurant owners, purveyors of beverages, etc., and the connection between the UKBG and ABA is one of longstanding friendship. Also, the UKBG has many members from the Continent and farther abroad. Every few years, they invite the ABA to send a golf team to play in the UK where the hosts usually enjoy better luck on their home turf.

Another traditional tournament week played at the beginning of the year is the Almond Blossom at the renowned Palmares Course where work recently commenced on a radical modification and expansion programme. This was the 32nd time the event was staged and although the number of players was lower than usual there was no lack of enthusiasm amongst the golfers. The standard of play in the opening individual Stableford was not too high with Paul Griffiths winning with 31 points whilst Beverley Osborne took the ladies' prize with 26. Griffiths showed better form in the better ball Stableford on day two in partnership with Neil Hawkins and won again, this time with 45 points, only one ahead of Kornelia Troyer and Christine Tolos. The aggregate Stableford tournament saw Lennaart Nilsson from Sweden and playing partner Peter Philgren amass a winning 68-point score, three ahead of runners-up M. Callaway and Cyril Teasdale. There was a surprise winner in the final day Palmares Golf Trophy which is an 18-hole stroke-play competition.

For the first time in the history of this event, a lady was the overall winner with a steady net score of 71, level par. Often a prize winner in previous Almond Blossom tournaments, Kornelia Troyer this time round left all the male competitors in her wake. The best gross score, carded by Alfred Henighen, was 81 strokes.

The final of the Pot of Gold series of tournaments was held at the new O'Connor course at the Oceânico Amendoeira Resort near Alcantarilha. Organised by Golfocus, owners of GolfAlgarve magazine, this 4-player team event involved competitions throughout 2008 at six other courses: Quinta do Vale, Quinta da Ria, Pinheiros Altos, Penina, Quinta do Lago and Benamor. With participants representing their favourite restaurants in the Algarve. The final was a closely fought affair as three teams started tied in first place based on their aggregate results over the series. The Ostra D'Ouro restaurant one emerged as the overall winner of the Bruno trophy designed by the sponsors, a jewellery in Almancil. Golfocus will be holding this very successful series again this year.

In March, the four-day Divot Tournament is being played at both the Morgado courses near Portimão from the 23rd to 27th with a rest day on the 25th. The week includes three separate events, an opening 18-hole Texas Scramble, 36-hole individual and 18-hole pairs competitions.

The Le Méridien Penina Golf & Resort is launching a new tournament to honour Mr. John Stilwell who idealised the Penina Hotel and Sir Henry Cotton designed golf course back in the early 60s and in fact was responsible for starting the golf revolution in the Algarve. The prize is called the John Stilwell's Trophy, and the inaugural tournament is being played on the 11th April. Details may be obtained by contacting the Golf Desk at the Hotel.

Phil Mickelson retained the Northern Trust Open title, edging out Steve Stricker by one stroke after a final round of one-over-par 72. Stricker had six birdies in a four-under-par 67 but was overtaken by Mickelson who birdied 16 and 17 for his 35th career PGA victory. Mickelson held a four-stroke, third-round lead, but after starting with an eagle at the opening hole then dropped five shots in 13 holes before his late recovery. Mickelson jumped 2 places in the Official World Golf Ranking to Nº 3.

New Zealand amateur Danny Lee made history by becoming the youngest ever winner of an European Tour Tournament with a one stroke victory at the Johnnie Walker Classic at The Vines Resort & Country Club in Perth Australia. The teenager carded a closing five under par 67 to finish on 17 under, one shot ahead of Ross McGowan of England, Hiroyuki Fujita of Japan and Chile's Felipe Aguilar. Lee leapt 403 places to World Nº 159.

Jaco van Zyl got up and down from a bed of roses on the par-five 18th hole of the Woodmead course of Country Club Johannesburg to win the Telkom PGA Championship. This gave him a single stroke win over Graham DeLaet from Canada and moved him up to Nº 281, an improvement of 205 places.

Geoff Ogilvy shot a final round of 68, 5 under par, to secure a six-stroke victory over Anthony Kim and Davis Love-III at the PGA Tour season-opening Mercedes-Benz Championship at Kapalua's Plantation Course. The 31-year-old Australian had his lead cut to just one after making his fourth bogey of the day at the eighth but then he eagled the ninth and had four consecutive birdies from the 12th. Ogilvy climbed 5 places to Nº 6 in the Ranking while Kim moved up 3 to Nº 9 and Love-III jumped 23 places to Nº 54.

Anders Hansen from Denmark birdied the final hole for a one-stroke victory over Andrew McLardy at the Joburg Open played over both courses at the Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club and Co-Sanctioned by the Sunshine Tour and the European Tour. Hansen's third European Tour win moved him up to Nº 71, an improvement of 19 places.

Paul Casey secured his second victory in three years at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship from Louis Oosthuizen and Martin Kaymer. South African Oosthuizen had earlier shot a brilliant 64 to post a 20-under-par target which was matched by Kaymer with a superb eagle on the last hole. Casey was able to two-putt from 12 feet at the 72nd hole for his tournament record 21-under-par total and the single stroke win which moved him up 21 places to Nº 21.

Zach Johnson closed with a five-under-par round of 65 for a 15-under-par total of 265 to win the Sony Open in Hawaii at Waialae Country Club by two strokes from David Toms and Adam Scott. Charles Howell III finished fourth at 12-under 268. Johnson entered the final round with a one-shot lead but was in a three-way tie at the turn. He started the back nine with consecutive birdies and added two more at number 14 and 18 to wrap up his fifth PGA Tour victory. Johnson climbed 17 places to Nº 27.

Retief Goosen fired a brilliant final round of 65 to win the Africa Open at East London Golf Club on the Sunshine Tour. Goosen finished one shot clear of Darren Clarke, Michael Hoey, Branden Grace and Darren Fichardt and climbed 9 places to Nº 40.

Geoff Ogilvy won the World Golf Championships - Accenture Match Play for the second time in four years with a 4 and 3 victory over Paul Casey. Ogilvy, the 2006 champion and 2007 runner-up, displayed his match play prowess in the 36 hole final to pick up a cheque for US$1,400,000 The victory was the Australian's third World Golf Championships title, sixth US PGA Tour victory and fourth European Tour win. The win takes Ogilvy to fourth in the Ranking, while Casey moved to Nº 13.

Thongchai Jaidee celebrated victory at the Enjoy Jakarta Indonesia Open, his third European Tour win, after finishing on 12 under par 276 at New Kuta Golf Club, two strokes ahead of Sweden’s Alexander Noren and English pair Steve Webster and Simon Dyson. Jaidee jumped 17 places in the Ranking to Nº 71.

Australian Alistair Presnell birdied the final hole to beat Peter O'Malley by one stroke and win the Moonah Classic, co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour of Australasia and the Nationwide Tour. Presnell, a 29-year-old from Melbourne, posted a 4-under 68 to finish at 9-under-par 279, one better than O'Malley.