Oceânico World Kids Golf

World Kids Golf

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World Kids Golf - Opening Ceremony of the 2019 edition. Photo by Ramiro de Jesus

Opening Ceremony of the 2019 edition. Photo by Ramiro de Jesus

World Kids Golf

Martim Baptista defends his title with 80 players from 14 countries

Martim Baptista returned to the place where it all started for him a year ago – the Amendoeira Golf Resort in Silves – and he will try to defend the title of World Kids Golf.

The most historic and prestigious Portuguese junior international golf tournament started on Tuesday its 11th edition with 80 players from 14 countries.

World Kids Golf - Martim Baptista

Martim Baptista

When a year ago the Portuguese player from the Vale de Janelas club (in Óbidos) won in the under-18 event, it was a sort of a surprise, but in the meantime, much has happened in his amateur career, and last month he played for the first time on the Portuguese national team in both the Manuel Agrellos Cup and the Boys European Championship.

«I have great memories of this tournament last year because I played among friends. I know almost every player of my age in this tournament. What happened in this last year is that I’m studying in the 12th grade, with a lower workload, and allowed me to train golf a lot. I also feel that I am calmer, more thoughtful, more careful in my decision making on the course and I have been playing better, ”said Martim Baptista, coached by Luís Barroso, who also guides the careers of famous Portuguese professionals such as Tiago Cruz and João Ramos.

Playing in the heat, on the Faldo Course, the hardest of the two courses at Amendoeira Golf Resort, designed by former world No.1 Nick Faldo, Martim Baptista began defending his title with a first round of 76 strokes, 4 over Par, which leaves him in 6th place, 7 shots behind the leaders, the Portuguese Alexandre Castelo and the Norwegian Peter Hov, both with 69, 3 under Par.

World Kids Golf - Opening Ceremony of the 2019 edition. Photo by Ramiro de Jesus

Opening Ceremony of the 2019 edition. Photo by Ramiro de Jesus

“Obviously I would like to defend the title, but I am here to play the best I can, because there is always the possibility that someone will play better, even if I play well. This under-18 tournament has very good players and I didn’t play very well on this first day. I felt nice from tee to green, but then I was unable to finish and I did not “putt” very well. I hit a lot of greens but that didn’t translate into the score I wanted and I missed a few birdies, ”said the Portuguese international who is facing the situation of defending an international title for the first time.

World Kids Golf is one of the rare Portuguese junior international tournaments to give points to the world amateur ranking. The tournament director Nelson Cavalheiro – who last month joined the PGA Portugal national team in the Manuel Agrellos Cup – is pleased with what he saw at the start of the competition.

“I am happy, it is already our 11th edition, we have a lot of dynamics and today we have not made the course too difficult regarding the pin positions. The playing conditions are good, the weather is good and we have also prepared the courses very well for this tournament ”, said Nelson Cavalheiro, who promised“ even better prizes in 2019 than in 2018 ”, confirming only that the U18 Tournament Champion will once again get an invitation to play in the Portugal Pro Golf Tour tournament held at the Amendoeira Golf Resort, thanks to the renewal of our partnership with the PGA Portugal.

World Kids Golf - Opening Ceremony of the 2019 edition. Photo by Ramiro de Jesus

Opening Ceremony of the 2019 edition. Photo by Ramiro de Jesus

The World Kids Golf is held on both Amendoeira Golf Resort courses and has a strong support from the Algarve Tourism Board, the Portugal PGA, the Portugal Pro Golf Tour, Under Armor, Titleist and FootJoy.

The youngsters play on the easyer O’Connor Course, while the Faldo Course is reserved for the older ones, with under-9, under-10, under-12, under-14, under-16, and under-18 tournaments in both genders. In this tournament, the gross prevails over the net, although there are also prizes for the net standings.

The tournament had its first round today. Tomorrow (Wednesday) is the the second round and, for those who wish, there is a tournament for teams of fathers and sons / daughters in the evening. Thursday is a day off for players to rest and also to allow the families to to get to know better the region. The final round will be on Friday.

The leaders of the 11th World Kids Golf after the first round are as follows:

Under-9, Ffion Richardson (England) with 9 points stableford gross and Francisco Reis (Portugal) with 23 points;
Under-10, Eleanor Lichtenhein (England) with 24 points stableford gross and Aaron Moody (England) with 31 points;
Under-12, Inês Belchior (Portugal) with 23 points stableford gross and João Crasi Alves (Portugal) with 37 points;
Under-14, João Iglésias (Portugal), 71 strokes, 1 under par;
U16, Emilie von Finckenstein (Germany), 73 strokes, 1 over par, and Jamie Mann (Scotland) with 70 (-2);
Under-18, Filipa Capelo (Portugal) with 76 strokes, 4 over par, and Peter Hov (Norway) and Alexandre Castelo (Portugal), both with 69 (-3).

Martim Baptista and Jessica Adams Champions of the blood moon Oceânico World Kids Golf

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All winners at the 10th Oceânico World Kids Golf, photo by Carla Guerreiro-MR

Oceânico World Kids Golf

Martim Baptista won the most important title of his young career by winning the U-18 tournament of Oceânico World Kids Golf, whose 10th edition took place at the Oceânico Faldo and at the Oceânico O’Connor, the two courses at the Amendoeira Golf Resort, in Silves, Algarve.

After a first half of the 2018 season which he himself considered to have fallen short of the desired, the player from the Vale de Janelas Club regained his temper at Oceânico World Kids Golf, the most important and historic junior golf tournament in Portugal.

He will have his first points at the R&A Amateur World Ranking, as the girls U-18 champion, the Englishwoman Jessica Adams, who played the tournament for the first time, exactly in search of “world ranking points, which are not that easy to get.”

Martim Baptista with the champions trophy, please credit Ramiro de Jesus

Martim Baptista with the champions trophy, please credit Ramiro de Jesus

The difference is that the boys tournament winner had another special prize – an invitation from the PGA of Portugal to play the Amendoeira Classic, a Portugal Pro Golf Tour event, an international tournament for professionals, with a prize Money of €10,000, to be held in 2019.

“I am completely interested in playing the tournament. It’s not normal for us to have this opportunity, to play in a tournament with the professionals,” said Martim Baptista, who scored 230 strokes, 14 over Par of the Oceânico Faldo Course, after rounds of 75, 83 and 72, 2 ‘shots’ better than the big favorite, Gonçalo Teodoro, a member of the Portuguese Golf Federation National squad, and the Dutchman Floris Steunenberg.

«This tournament was very motivating. My best finish this year in the Drive Tour tournaments (the main portuguese junior tour) was a top-5. It’s my first win of the year in na official event and maybe it’s one of my best wins ever. This last round, from the white tees, was my best ever result, but I was also playing for the first time in the U-18s,” added the player coached by Luís Barroso.

Jessica Adams was also, of course, “very pleased to have won the tournament with a good last round on such a hot day, after having struggled in the first two rounds.” The Englishwoman, who left behind by 11 shots the runner up, the Portuguese Inês Pereira, scores 241 strokes, 25 over Par of the Oceanic O’Connor Course, delivering cards of 85, 82 and 74. “It was already worth coming”, said the Briton who wants to become a professional.

Mark Lichtenhein, the LET Chairman gave the prize to Filipa Capelo, the U-16 champion, credit Ramiro de Jesus

Mark Lichtenhein, the LET Chairman gave the prize to Filipa Capelo, the U-16 champion, credit Ramiro de Jesus

One of the highlights of the 10th edition of Oceânico World Kids Golf was the presence of Ladies European Tour (LET) delegation, with the English ‘pro’ Rebecca Hudson, winner of five professional titles, four of which in the LET, and the LET Chairman, Mark Lichtenhein.

Since last year the LET has paid special attention to the junior tournament at the Amendoeira Golf Resort and in this year’s speech Mark Lichtenhein praised the increase in the girs participantion department, but stressed that “we need more girls to play.” The LET’s Chairman is talking with Oceânico, and who knows, maybe one day the girls champion will have an invitation to a professional tournament, as it happened this year in the boys tournament.

Good news for Portuguese young players who shine every year at Oceânico World Kids Golf.

This year, Filipa Capelo won the U16s, after last year being runner-up; Ana da Costa Rodrigues and Inês Belchior were runners-up respectively in the U-14 and U-12, one year after they won in the lower age events; and Maria Francisca Salgado became champion in the U-9.

n the men’s section, besides Martim Baptista becoming the first Portuguese U-18 champion since Cristiano Marcela in 2015, there were two more Portuguese winners: Daniel Sardo in the U-10s and João Iglésias in the U-14s.

The South African Calvin Holmes, who triumphed in the U-16 with a tournament record of a 63 (-9) second round, continues his process of Portuguese citizenship and maintains the desire “to play one day for the Portuguese national team.”

Oliver and John Robertson won the Child & Parent Contest, credit Ramiro de Jesus

Oliver and John Robertson won the Child & Parent Contest, credit Ramiro de Jesus

The full list of champions of the 10th Oceânico World Kids Golf is as follows:

U-9 – Jack Dirkin (England), 61 stableford gross points (22 + 21 + 18), 7 under Par of the O’Connor Course; and Maria Francisca Salgado (Portugal), 14 (4 + 5 + 5), +51;

U-10 – Gabriel Sardo (Portugal) 100 points stableford gross (33 + 31 + 36), 8 over Par of the O’Connor Course;

U-12 – Kostka Horno (Spain), 117 points stableford gross (40 + 38 + 39), 9 under Par of the O’Connor Course, and Leanne Kokolay (England), 55 (16 + 20), +55;

U-14 – João Iglésias (Portugal), 217 strokes (71 + 71 + 75), 1 over Par of the Faldo Course, and Emilie von Finckenstein (Germany), 233 (75 + 74 + 74), 7 over Par of the O’Connor Course;

U-16 – Calvin Holmes (South Africa), 213 strokes (76 + 63 + 74), 3 under Par of the Faldo Course, and Filipa Capelo (Portugal) 226 strokes (76 + 74 + 76), 10 over Par of the O’Connor Course;

U-18, Martim Baptista (Portugal), 230 strokes (75 + 83 + 72), 14 over Par of the Faldo Course, and Jessica Adams (England), 241 strokes (85 + 82 + 74) 25 over Par of the O’Connor Course.

All champions won for the first time at the Oceânico World Kids Golf, but Leanne Kokolay, from the Lakes District, was the net champion in 2017 and this time got the gross, and Emilie von Finckenstein was runner-up last year and went one better in 2018, as it happend with Calvin Holmes: “after being second for so many times, it was about time to win.”

The 10th Oceânico World Kids Golf atracted 147 players from 17 countries and the Child & Parent 9 holes Par-3 Contest was won by Oliver and John Robertson, from England.

Calvin Holmes had a tournament record and gave a speach next to Ela Clark from the World Golf Awards, credit Ramiro de Jesus

Calvin Holmes had a tournament record and gave a speach next to Ela Clark from the World Golf Awards, credit Ramiro de Jesus

Ela Clark, from the World Golf Awards, presented the prize giving ceremony, there were more than 100 prizes to be distributed, and the historic 10th edition concluded with a unique red blood moon lunar eclipse and fireworks during the final gala diner. A week to remember.

Hugo Ribeiro / Tee Times Golf

Oceânico World Kids Golf A serious tournament In a holiday environment

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Oceânico World Kids Golf

Oceânico World Kids Golf

Six of the 2017 champions returned this week to the Amendoeira Golf Resort, in Silves, to celebrate the 10th edition of Oceânico World Kids Golf, the most important international junior golf tournament in Portugal.

Portugal’s Ines Belchior (U-10) and Ana da Costa Rodrigues (U-12), England’s Sarah Mardani (U-14), Britons Luca Randall (U-9), Oscar Lent (U-10) and Owen Meeds (U-16) are the last year’s champions who returned to the Amendoeira Golf Resort to defend the title, although some of them have, however, moved to the upper age group.

Oceânico World Kids Golf was, until 2017, the only Portuguese junior tournament to count towards the R&A Amateur World Golf Ranking, and this year, althought other events already offer ranking points, the tournament made several partnerships to keep a Major status.

The Tournament Golf College (TGC), for instance, brings athletes from its school in England and promotes abroad the Portuguese tournament.

Presentation ceremony of the 10th edition, photography by Ramiro de Jesus

Presentation ceremony of the 10th edition, photography by Ramiro de Jesus

Another exemple is provided by the PGA of Portugal, that gives the U-18 champion an invitation for the 2019 Amendoeira Classic, a Portugal Pro Golf Tour event, with a prize-money of €10,000, with “pros” from all over Europe.

And another sign of this tournament’s strengh are its several partnerships with prestigious media, which allow it to have a very good media coverage, including broadcasts on Sky Sports in the UK and SportTV (via CN Sports) in Portugal.

Oceânico World Kids Golf continues to grow and to consolidate its position and its 10th edition incrised the numbers of players (147, from 136 last year) and represented countries (17 from 13 in 2017).

Taking into account that it is a key event for Tourism in the Algarve, bringing hundreds of people for a week to Silves, it is worth noting that there are athletes from Australia, Austria, Germany, South Africa, Belgium, China, Scotland, Spain, France, Holland, England, Ireland, Norway, Portugal, Poland, Wales and Switzerland.

The players bring their families and coaches in a mix of a holiday environment with a high level competition.

Lucas Lopes Azinheiro, Calvin Holmes and Max van de Kuilen, photography by Carla Guerreiro

Lucas Lopes Azinheiro, Calvin Holmes and Max van de Kuilen, photography by Carla Guerreiro

At the opening ceremony, Chris T. Howell of Oceânico Group, the mentor of this project, referred to the quality of the two courses that host the competition, Oceânico Faldo and Oceânico O’Connor Jr.: “We have worked hard on the courses and they are in fantastic conditions, very close to what you can find in major championships around the world.”

After a few practice rounds and the first two rounds of the competition, several were the young players who spoke about these good playing conditions, especially the British who made several comparisons with the much drier courses they have played in recent times, due to the drought which has plagued the UK in recent weeks.

Calvin Holmes, photography by Ramiro de Jesus

Calvin Holmes photography, by Ramiro de Jesus

Ela Clark, the presenter of the World Golf Awards, who this year serves as the official speaker of the tournament, also recalled at the opening ceremony that “The Faldo Course received in 2016 the award for best golf course of the year.” It is not every day that most of these youngsters have the opportunity to compete in such a tough and challeging course as this one designed in the Algarve by former world No. 1 Nick Faldo.

The first two days of competition already took place under the heat, with temperatures temperatures exceeding the 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit) and little wind.

In the evening of the second day, at the Par-3 9 hole course of the Amendoeira Golf Academy, it was held the Parents & Children doubles competition with a very special host, the English professional player Rebecca Hudson, a four times winner on the Ladies European Tour.

On the third day all players are invited to rest, to do some tourism and to attend the 10th edition Party with several activities for youngsters and children.

And they, by Friday, things will get serious again, with the last round of the Oceânico World Kids Golf.

Gonçalo Teodoro, photography by Carla Guerreiro

Gonçalo Teodoro, photography by Carla Guerreiro

The leaders after the second round (only gross standings) are:

U-9 – The Portuguese Maria Francisca Salgado, 9 points (4+5) stableford gross, +35, and the English Jack Dirkin, 43 (22+21), -7.

U-10 – The Spanish Yago Horno, 66 (31+35), +6.

U-12 – The English Leanne Kokolay, 36 (16+10), +37, and the Spanish Kostka Horno, 78 (40+38), -6.

U-14 – The German Emilie von Finckenstein, 149 strokes (75+74), +5, and the Portuguese João Iglésias, 142 (71+71), -2.

U-16 – The Portuguese Filipa Capelo, 150 (76+74), +6, and the South-african Calvin Holmes, 139 (76+63), -5.

U-18 – The English Jessica Adams, 167 (85+82), +23, and the Portuguese Gonçalo Teodoro, 150 (69+81), +6.

The 63 second roud, 9 under Par of the Oceânico Faldo Course, from Calvin Holmes, in a bogey free round of 9 birdies, is a tournament record in its history. What a way to celebrate the 10th edition.

Hugo Ribeiro / Tee Times Golf