Portugal Golf – 2nd FPG Circuit Tournament 2023

Ribagolfe Lakes Golf Course. Ribagolfe Lakes hosted the 2nd FPG Circuit tournament 2023

Ribagolfe Lakes hosted the tournament

Alexander Amey, Ana da Costa Rodrigues, and Pedro Figueiredo “Figgy” won the 2nd FPG Circuit Tournament of 2023 at Ribagolfe Lakes, in the Lisbon region, after a tense final day of competition.

The Male Amateur was the closest competition, requiring a playoff to determine a winner between Vasco Alves and Alexander Amey with an aggregate result of 147 strokes (+3).

The playoff was decided on the 18th hole, with Alexander Amey coming out on top after a birdie. The Medal Net prize went to Duarte Gonçalves, who ranked third with 148 strokes (+4).

Ana da Costa Rodrigues came in first place in the women’s tournament with a result of 151 (+7), 6 strokes better than Luciana Reis and 8 strokes better than Constança Mendonça and Gisele Morna. Maria Francisca Salgado was awarded the Medal Net prize.

Pedro Figueiredo “Figgy” won the Professional tournament with a score of 70 strokes (-2), finishing with a total of 142 (-2), one stroke better than Vitor Londot Lopes, Tomás Silva, Ricardo Santos, and Pedro Almeida. Pedro Figueiredo was awarded 1,700 euros as prize money.

Tomás Bessa, who won the 1st FPG Circuit Tournament of this year, ended up in sixth place at Ribagolfe Lakes.

In the Seniors competitions, André Holtreman Roquette and Marta Lampreia won.

Quinta do Vale, in the Algarve, will play host to the next tournament that is part of the Portuguese Golf Federation Circuit 2023 in June. After that, competitions are scheduled to take place at the Oporto Golf Club (September) and the Aroeira Pines Classic (November).

Book your golf holidays in the Lisbon region with Tee Times Golf Agency and play on some of the best golf courses in Portugal.

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Ben Schmidt wins Bom Sucesso Classic. Ben Schmidt wins on the PT Tour.

Ben Schmidt wins PT Tour’s Bom Sucesso Classic

At PT Tour’s Bom Sucesso Classic, the Englishman Ben Schmidt triumphed. Tomás Bessa, the best Portuguese competitor, finished sixth and maintains his lead atop the circuit’s Order of Merit.

Ben Schmidt won the tournament owing to a phenomenal second round in which he shot 61. (-11). A total of 132 (71+61, -12) was his final score, one stroke below the second-placed Irishman Daniel Mulligan’s (67+66,-11).

Again, Tomás Bessa represented his country well on the golf course, as he finished in a tie for sixth place with North Irishman Owen Crooks after 140 strokes (-4) throughout the tournament.

It should be remembered that Tomás Bessa has already won two titles (Palmares Open II and III) this season on the circuit for professional golfers that usually takes place in Algarve golf courses, but this time travelled to the Lisbon region, to Bom Sucesso.

“Even though I made a bogey on the opening hole, it was my greatest competitive round ever. I made tiny adjustments last night on the putting green, and this morning on the driving range, and everything went smoothly, as long as I kept faithful to the plan”, the youngster Ben Schmidt stated at the end of the competition, on March 3rd.

This was the tenth tournament of this season on the PT Tour, four of which were won by Portuguese golfers – in addition to the two triumphs of Tomás Bessa, Vítor Londot Lopes won the Palmares Classic, and Tomás Melo Gouveia also won a title at the Dom Pedro Pinhal Open II.

Book your golf holidays in Portugal with Tee Times Golf Agency and play on some of the best golf courses in Europe.

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Portugal Golf – Golf generated record revenues in Portugal in 2022

Vale do Lobo Royal Golf Course. Golf generates record revenues in Portugal.

Green fees generated record revenues in Portugal last year

In counter cycle with the peaks in tourism demand, golf is preparing for its first high season of year, which starts in March and lasts until May. With the great revenues obtained in 2022 following the interregnum imposed by the pandemic, there is reason for confidence.

Revenues from golf in Portugal hit a record high of 154 million euros in 2022, a 6 percent rise from 2019, the last year before the pandemic, thanks to a total of 3 million rounds played. However, the actual effect of the sport on the Portuguese economy is expected to be far greater.

“The 154 million euros are only from green fees, not from any additional purchases made while at the golf course. rental of buggies, provision of meals, and teaching of related skills are only a few examples of the many businesses revolving around this sport”, says Frederico Brion Sanches, board member of the National Council of the Golf Industry (CNIG).

Foreign tourists are the main ones responsible for record revenues in the country, representing 80 percent of the rounds played last year. It is in the Algarve that the international market assumes greater weight (92 percent) with the British and Irish in the majority, followed by the Scandinavians and France.

“Playing four or five times throughout a week in Portugal is the norm for visitors from other countries. Non-Portuguese players are responsible for a significantly greater number of rounds compared to their Portuguese counterparts”, as Brion Sanches puts it.

Portugal has made the first step in establishing itself as a golf destination, and the country’s worldwide accolades enable it to compete with its key competitors, like Spain or Italy.

In 2019, for the sixth year in a row, Portugal has been named Europe’s Best Golf Destination by the World Golf Awards, and it has also been chosen as Europe’s Best Golf Destination by the World Travel Awards five times.

Frederico Brion Sanches thinks the industry has a lot to develop, but he cautions that more flights, more destinations, better air connections, and more convenient schedules are all essential, and defends an air bridge between Lisbon and the Algarve.

The lack of human resources, transversal to all areas of tourism, is another of the challenges pointed out by Brion Sanches, along with sustainability.

“Last but not least, we should expand our efforts to promote Portugal as a golf holiday destination. We are talking about more marketing campaigns and the constant promotion of Portugal as a golf destination”, he concludes.

Book your golf holidays in Portugal with Tee Times Golf Agency and enjoy some of the best golf courses in Europe.

You can also read other posts about Golf in Portugal:
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