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European Senior Tour 2014 returns to Portugal

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Tee Times Portugal Golf - European Senior Tour 2014 - Vidago Palace - 12-14 September 2014

Tee Times Portugal Golf – European Senior Tour 2014 – Vidago Palace – 12-14 September 2014

Tee Times Portugal Golf – European Senior Tour 2014 returns to Portugal – Vidago Palace – Oporto – 12th to 14th September ’14

The European Senior Tour will return to Portugal for the first time since 2011 when Vidago Palace hosts the Senior Open de Portugal, from September 12-14.

The luxurious hotel and golf resort, situated north of Porto, re-opened in 2010 on the centenary of its inauguration in 1910.

The 6,899 yard, par 72 course at Vidago Palace was built in 1936 and originally designed by MacKenzie Ross before undergoing a redesign from golf architecture firm Cameron & Powell in 2010.

A key feature of the course is the use throughout of the local pink granite stone walling, built using redundant and disused field walls from the area which have were salvaged for the project.

It will now host a Senior Tour event for the first time following an agreement with Porto and the Northern Portugal Tourism Board (Associação do Turismo do Porto), with the field competing for a prize fund of €225,000.

Tee Times Portugal Golf - European Senior Tour - Vidago Palace - 12-14 September 2014

Tee Times Portugal Golf – European Senior Tour – Vidago Palace – 12-14 September 2014

The Senior Open de Portugal last featured on the Senior Tour schedule three years ago, when Welshman Mark Mouland triumphed at Belas Clube de Campo, near Lisbon, with former World Number One Ian Woosnam among those in contention during the final round.

In total, the Senior Tour has visited Portugal eight times, while the Senior Tour Qualifying School has been played on the Algarve since 2001.

Andy Stubbs, Managing Director of the European Senior Tour, said: “The European Senior Tour has an excellent, long-standing relationship with Portugal, established over many years through various regular tournaments as well as our annual Qualifying School, so we are delighted to return with this exciting event.

“This is the first time we have held an event in the northern region of Portugal and we are sure the magnificent Vidago Palace will prove a hugely popular venue with our players and staff, as well as the spectators.

“We would like to express our gratitude to Porto and Northern Portugal Tourism Board (Associação do Turismo do Porto – ATP) for their significant support, while this tournament would not have happened without the ambition and drive of the people at Vidago Palace.”

Helena Gonçalves, Associação do Turismo do Porto Executive-Director, said: “An initiative like this has never been properly established in this region before. The Tourism Board will do its utmost to promote this event, as the success of this event will help showcase Porto and north Portugal as a perfect golf destination in Portugal, exploring the very best we have to offer. This includes four World Heritages Sites by UNESCO, historical cities, rivers, the ocean, mountains, a perfect blend of old and new, authentic traditions and genuine people, the home of Port Wine, excellent gastronomy and wines, safety and security, traditional and cool shopping, culture at its best, and absolute value for money.”

Vidago Palace’s Golf Director, Alexandre Barroso, said: “Two years ago a small group of hotels, five 18’s Holes Golf Courses and a service company joined together, with the support of Tourism Board of Porto and North, to showcase this region internationally, and this tournament is another major step forward for us.”

“The Senior Open de Portugal will help accelerate this process, and at the same time will give the Vidago Palace the opportunity to put itself among the best golf resorts in Europe. The major works we undertook from 2006 to 2010, which saw a total reconstruction of the hotel and golf course, placed Vidago Palace as a unique Resort. I like to say now that it is a new hotel with more than 100 years of history.”

In addition to the 2011 Belas Clube de Campo Senior Open de Portugal, the country has also hosted the Daily Telegraph European Seniors Match Play Championship in 2001 and 2002, the Senior Tour Championship from 2002-2004, the Senior Open of Portugal in 2005 and 2006, and the 2008 Azores Senior Open.

Source: europeantour.com, vidagopalace.com.

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Tee Times Portugal Golf: National Club Championship – Vilamoura Men’s Champion

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Tee Times Portugal Golf: National Club Championship Solverde – Vilamoura Men’s Three-time Champion – Miramar makes history in Women’s.

15th Title in the history of the Algarves’s Vilamoura Golf Club and the 1st for the Club from Gaia in women’s. Oporto, playing at home, guaranteed the 3rd place in men’s and Quinta do Fojo the 3rd place in women’s.

The Vilamoura Golf Club, on the men’s tournament, and the Miramar Golf Club, in the female, confirmed the favoritism that was given to them in the start of the National Club Championship Solverde and imposed themselves on the finals of yesterday (Sunday the 24th August ’14).

Both the Algarve’s as well as the golfers from Gaia had won the first round of the tournament in stroke play and in the last three days also dominated in match play. Were therefore unquestionable victories, achieved in this 51st edition of the competition that the Portuguese Golf Federation (FPG) organized in Oporto Golf Club in Espinho.

In the Nini Guedes de Queiroz Cup (the women’s tournament) it was made history in the competition because Miramar had never put his name on the trophy. Miramar defeated the champions of last year, the Quinta do Peru Golf & Country Club, for an enlightening 4-1. 

In Visconde de Pereira Machado Cup (men’s), Vilamoura prevented Miramar from becoming the third club to achieve the “double” by winning an even more overwhelming 5.5-1.5. It was the 3rd consecutive title for Vilamoura and the 15th title in their history, and is just one less of the national record of 16 for Club de Golf do Estoril. 

The last round, which started with fog and the temperature a little lower but at the end with sun and a little wind, decided the other classifications of the tournament. The other results, in addition to the end are as follows:

Nini Guedes de Queiroz Cup (women’s tournament): Quinta do Fojo Golf – Golf Club of Paço do Lumiar, 3.5 – 1.5. This result dictated the 3rd place of Quinta do Fojo and the 4th place of Paço do Lumiar.

Visconde de Pereira Machado Cup (men’s): Oporto Golf Club – Quinta do Peru, 5 – 2; Lisbon Sports Club – Club de Golf do Estoril, 3 – 2; Belas Clube de Campo – Oporto B, 3 – 2; Club Golf Terceira Island – Club Golf Center, 4-1; Quinta do Peru B – Oitavos Dunes, 5-0 (by forfeit of the Oitavos team).

Source: FPG (Portuguese Golf Federation)

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Tee Times Portugal Golf – Oporto Golf Club

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Tee Times Portugal Golf - Oporto Golf Club

Tee Times Portugal Golf – Oporto Golf Club

Tee Times Portugal Golf – Oporto Golf Club – Manuel Violas round of 57

Oporto Golf Club is the oldest golf club in Portugal. It begins with a par 4 against the famous nortada, the prevailing north wind, which makes it rather difficult. The approach to the green, which is narrow and double tiered, turns this first hole into an excellent test for any player.

Although holes 4 and 11 are the most difficult ones, we consider the par-4 7th and par-3 14th to be the best that can be designed in terms of golf. The 9th and 18th, normally offer good opportunities for birdies, making a pleasant finish to a competition.

In a superb atmosphere which is possible only among the traditionally hospitable people from the North of the country, the Oporto Golf Club offers excellent facilities in its clubhouse, with a restaurant that is a general favourite of its members for eating out.

No joke: Manuel Violas made ​​a round of only 57 – A round of 57, even outside of official competition, is always a story to remember.

Former No. 1 national amateur golf scored 14 under par on his home course of Oporto. The incredible happened: Manuel Violas, with two Portuguese majors in the curriculum (Cup Portuguese Golf Federation in 2008 and 2010), obtained on Friday a round of 57 strokes, 14 under par-71, at his home club of Oporto Golf Club.

Scored 14 birdies and four pairs. Their previous best result was 64 (-8) at the National Club Championship 2010 in Mounted.

“I can not explain, it was a day when everything went well,” said Manuel Violas a +2 handicap of 26 years. “He put the ball near the flag and putt. I only had two or three biggest putts. It was the turn of my life. It happens once in a lifetime, when a person is very lucky. Lots of people will think it is not true, but I do not care.”

For the avoidance of doubt, this is the card game Manuel Violas on the last 8th August.

Tee Times Portugal Golf - Oporto Golf Club - Manuel Violas round of 57

Tee Times Portugal Golf – Oporto Golf Club – Manuel Violas round of 57

Officially, the record for the lowest round in the PGA Tour is 59 strokes for six players: Al Geiberger (Memphis Classic, 1977); Chip Beck (Las Vegas Invitational, 1991); David Duval (Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, 1999); Paul Goydos (John Deere Classic, 2010); Stuart Appleby (Greenbrier Classic, 2010); and Jim Furyk (BMW Championship, 2013). On the European Tour, the lowest mark is 60 strokes by multiple players.

Source: Golftattoo.com

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