Algarve Winter Tour , the international circuit that the PGA of Portugal organized from January to March , in collaboration with the Tournament Golf College , based in Cornwall, UK.
“This first tournament was a success with 120 entries , more than last year, which led us to use the two fields of Amendoeira Golf Resort from Oceânico, the Oceânico Faldo Golf Course and the O’Connor Golf Course. The volume of players also allowed us to offer cash prizes worth 10 thousand euros and was exploited by some of the best Portuguese players to start their season , “commented José Correia , president of the PGA of Portugal .
The Algarve player Hugo Santos , number 1 of the Order of Merit of the PGA of Portugal , joined the top 10 rank, with 223 shots , 7 over par, after rounds of 73 , 71 and 79 shots, with a 6 strokes distance from the winner, the Englishman Bob Cameron , who signed laps with 70 , 72 and 75 shots.
Bob Cameron is one of the best values of the European Senior Tour . Won two titles, including the French Open Veterans and finished three seasons in the top -ten of the Order of Merit of the European Professional Circuit of Veterans .
The Algarve Winter Tour attracted some highly prominent figures in the history of European Golf, as the Northern Irishman Ronan Rafferty, known to have won the Portugal Open in 1992, but still his crowning glory is the Volvo Masters title of 1989 and the 1st position of the European Order of Merit that same 1989 season .
Also highlighted the Scottish Andrew Oldcorn , winner of the Volvo PGA Championship at Wentworth, the headquarters of the European Tour , which three times in the last four years ended the season in the top -ten of the Order of Merit of the European Senior Tour .
“We are benefiting from, once again, the European Senior Tour hold its Qualifying School in the Algarve, in the fields of Pestana Golf Resort , Carvoeiro and Silves , between 30 January and 6 February . Many of these esteemed players came early to run in the Algarve Winter Tour , taking advantage of the excellent conditions that offer them and this benefits the Portuguese foreign professionals and amateurs of GCT , making Algarve Winter Tour more competitive and with more attractive prizes circuit , “explained José Correia .
The national champion, Pedro Figueiredo, was one of the figures of the first tournament, finishing the first lap in 2nd place (tied ) after 70 strokes, 2 below par in the field of Oceânico designed by former world number 1 Nick Faldo. The following rounds of 75 and 87 fired ” Figgy ” tied for the 39th position , with an aggregate of 232 ( +16 ) .
Gonçalo Pinto, who is now also a professional, was positioned in the group of 18 ranked, with 225 strokes ( 77 +71 +77 ) +9 . There were more portuguese to compete, but only these three PGA professionals of Portugal passed the cut .
The next tournament in the Algarve Winter Tour will be played on 6-8 February at the Oceânico Faldo Course, the Amendoeira Golf Resort , between Silves and Lagoa .
Courtesy of Tee Times T.O.
