Pinheiros Altos (Corks & Olives), 23rd March 2013

Everyone turned up to play today, at Pinheiros Altos, but the unusually poor weather here in the Algarve continued and we postponed our game 24 hours to the Sunday. The Oliveiras course (original back 9) was heavily water logged making play and walking difficult as pull trolleys at times had to be kept to the path. Anyway, golfers are a hardy bunch and we were all keen to get a game in at the weekend. The Society welcomed two new players Tony Lopategui who took Nearest The Pin on the island 8th and his wife Elaine. They enjoyed their game so much and vowed to join but it was to be David Bowles’ day with some fine stroke play who posted 37pts – six points ahead of Carlos Ferreira.

It was an impromptu return back to Parkies where the ensemble had gathered joined by many other friends. After all the effort we got our game this weekend.

Hugo Santos Leads Quinta do Peru PGA Open

Hugo Santos leads Quinta do Peru PGA Open, the first tournement of the series PGA Portugal Tour 2013 that the professional portuguese golf association is organising until tomorrow at Quinta do Peru & Country Club in Azeitão.

The professional national champion (aged 32), finished the first round with 69 stokes, 3 under the par, having an advantage of 2 over António Rosado (2009 national champion) and 3 over Tomas Silva, ex amateur national champion, and Marcus Lester, EuroPro Tour player.

«It was a good round, the result was positive and I played well specially given the wind» said Hugo Santos, who was second place last year, behind Gonçalo Pinto, national absolute bichampion (amateur), who will struggle tomorrow to keep the title once he’s 12th place (tied) with 77 (+5).

The oldest of the Santos brothers finished the first 9 holes with a Par, with two birdies (holes 5 and 7) and a couple bogeys (6 and 8), and finished the back nine with 3 under the par, thanks to an eagle on hole 12 (Par-4), followed by a birdie on hole 13, with a bogey on hole 17.

Hugo Santos Tee Times Golf Order of Merit for the past 2 years, also won the Iberian swing of Jamega Pro Golf Tour last week.

Quinta do Peru PGA Open has 30 people enrolled and prizes of 5 000euros. Tomorrow they will play the second and last round, with the first group to begin at 08:00 and the last at 09:31.

Millennium Competition, 9th March 2013

11 players turned out at Millennium, rescheduled from Morgado after heaving rains.

The competition was the start of a surprise party for Jim Kearney on his 70th birthday, and everybody was keeping away from Jim to avoid letting the cat out of the bag.

We welcomed Ulla Peura, friend of Henning and Gudrun, and she played superbly off 15 to scoop both nearest the pins & the longest drive. Well done Ulla!

The biggest surprise was still to come as neither Jim nor Deirdre knew that Siobhan had arranged for their two daughters to join in the birthday celebrations. When they appeared at the prize giving this proved to be the best prize of all.

Back to the prize giving and it was definitely Jim’s day after his lesson with Hugo Santos, he took first prize with 38 points, holding off Christer & Eve with 37 & 35 respectively.

After the prize giving we all joined Jim, Deirdre and their daughters at the Thai restaurant in Vilamoura, and a great evening was had by all.