Tee Times Portugal Golf – 2015 Madeira Islands Open
Tee Times Portugal Golf – 2015 Madeira Islands Open – Started on 20th to 22nd March 2015
The Madeira Islands Open BPI – Portugal – got its start postponed to today, Friday the 20th, due to the strong wind that was felt in Santo da Serra Golf Club, in Machico, Madeira.
Santo da Serra Golf Club – Above the bay of Machico, where the first Portuguese sailors disembarked. Here, golf and nature live in perfect harmony with sport and the environment. Be it competition or pleasure, the passions of those who play at Santo da Serra are always satisfied. The Machico and Desertas Courses are those usually used for the Madeira Island Open whilst the Serras Course, mildly flat, maintains the same level of play.
Tee Times Portugal Golf – 2015 Madeira Islands Open
With the tournament reduced to 54 holes after strong winds prevented any play on Thursday, strong breezes again caused a delay on this morning with play starting one hour and 50 minutes later than planned.
Sweden’s Jacob Glennemo got play started at 9:40am, and with the first four groups having completed their opening hole, Javier Ballesteros – son of legendary five-time Major winner Seve – was the only player to have carded a birdie.
But it was Joachim B Hansen took the clubhouse lead during the first round of the Madeira Islands Open – BPI – Portugal with a four under par 68.
The 24 year old Dane, who lost his European Tour card last season after failing to register a top-ten finish, birdied two of his first three holes after starting on Santo da Serra Golf Club’s back nine.
This European Tour Professional Golf Tournament with 600.000, Euros in prize money was suspended from the start, and the decision to definitely postpone the opening day for today was communicated yeasterday at 2pm, by the race director, the Spanish Jose Maria Zamora.
“We had the misfortune of having presented a day with a lot of wind, with an average speed of 35/40 km/h and there were times with gusts that reached the 80 km/h. This causes the ball to move on the greens, to not be still, so you can not play in these conditions.” said Zamora.
The forecasts for today, the tournament director seemed to be more confident, “I am optimistic about the wind, will do much less wind tomorrow. It is expected rain, but if it does not rain much no problem. Also depends on the height of the clouds: if the height of the field, we have the same problem last year. But I am optimistic and I believe that Madeira and the Madeira Open deserve a good end. I am optimistic and we will try to do 54 holes, “praised José Maria Zamora.
The director also explained that, given the weather forecasts, the field can not be touched. “We choosed to not cut the greens: We were expecting this strong wind but still we can not cheat the wind and being so strong we had to decide that today we do not play.” Zamora said that cutting the greens would leave them faster and unplayable.
Let’s hope for better weather next days to come to a wonderful conclusion of this wonderful tournament at Santo da Serra Golf Club, in Madeira, Portugal.
Source: Golftattoo.com, europeantour.com
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