Golf in Portugal

Portugal Golf – Ben Schmidt wins on the PT Tour

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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.

You can also read other posts about Golf in Portugal:
Golf generated record revenues in Portugal in 2022
Portuguese Vítor Lopes equals the world record for eagles in one golf round
Ángel Ayora wins the 93rd Portuguese International Amateur Golf Championship

Portugal Golf – Golf generated record revenues in Portugal in 2022

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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:
Portuguese Vítor Lopes equals the world record for eagles in one golf round
Ángel Ayora wins the 93rd Portuguese International Amateur Golf Championship
Calendar of the World Corporate Golf Challenge Portugal 2023

Portugal Golf – Portuguese Vítor Lopes equals the world record for eagles in one golf round

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Palmares Golf Course. Vitor Lopes equals world record with 4 eagles in one round.

Vitor Lopes equalled world record at Palmares

There are very few golfers who have ever recorded four eagles in a single round, and Vitor Lopes will go down in history as one of them, after a remarkable golf round at Palmares. Additionally, he had one eagle that was also a hole-in-one.

The 26-year-old Portuguese golfer from Vilamoura shot 61 (-11) on the outstanding Palmares golf course, in the Algarve, his best professional golf round. Vítor Lopes made eagles on holes 6 (Par-5), 11 (Par-5), 17 (Par-3), and 18 (Par-5).

As a result, he took over the Palmares Classic international tournament, with 10,000 euros in prize money, as part of the PT Tour, which brings together 74 players in Lagos.

Speaking to PT Tour organiser José Correia about his hole-in-one on the 17th hole, the Challenge Tour player stated, “It was my second hole-in-one, but in official tournaments, as a professional golfer, it was my first and I’m really thrilled”.

Vítor Lopes, the seventh best Portuguese in the world golf ranking, showed once again that he is not intimidated by the wind.

The record for most eagles in a single round of golf is 4, according to Guinness World Records, however there are many different regional golfing circuits across the world. In comparison, 4 is the most you’ll see on the PGA Tour, the DP World Tour, or the PGA Tour of Australasia.

Palmares golf course is a popular golf holiday destination in Portugal and ranked 38th in the top 100 best European golf courses in 2022.

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

You can also read other posts about Golf in Portugal:
Ángel Ayora wins the 93rd Portuguese International Amateur Golf Champiosnhip
Calendar of the World Corporate Golf Challenge Portugal 2023
30th edition of the Portuguese Senior Ladies Golf Competition