Each month 10 names are randomly selected from all golfers that have used our online Booking Form. From these 10 golfers a second draw is made for the winner of the prize sponsored by Hotels Le Meridien ***** in the Algarve. The monthly prize includes a standard "weekend break accommodation" with breakfast for two in the Hotel specified, together with a round of golf for two guests on the course attached to the Hotel.

All of the 10 golfers of each month will be listed in our Newsletter and notified by separate e-mail that they now qualify for the annual Grand Draw. In the Grand Draw one person will be the “Lucky Golfer” and receive from our own site www.algarvegolf.net a sum of € 3.000,00. (2008 increase of € 1.000), The money can be spent in an Algarve Hotel of the winner’s choice, on green fees, car hire or, a combination.

The 10 nominated golfers who are included in Year 2008 for the month of June and are entered into the "Grand Draw" at the end of December:

Anders Dahlstrom - Debbie Dardis - Derek Bird - Hap Klopp - Ivor Connolly - John Maskell -
Larry Budzinski - Owen Travers - Paddy Earnshaw - Vinny Entwistle

General News
Longstanding England and Newcastle United football star, Alan Shearer, was in the Algarve recently for his annual friendly golf challenge. Started a few years ago, Alan and one of his friends both captain their teams in their own Ryder Cup style tournament on the Vilamoura courses – this year they played the Oceânico Victoria course. Alan’s team included Republic of Ireland and Newcastle goalkeeper Shay Given, former Newcastle, Everton and Wales midfielder Gary Speed and former England and Liverpool midfielder Terry McDermott. The competing team was from Algarve-based Concept Software Solutions (CSS). The teams enjoyed great conditions and some inspiring play, with CSS winning the event 5 – 3, and now left leading the annual series four to three.

This year, Multi Development Corp. held their prestigious invitational team event at the scenic 'Rocky' Roquemore-designed Quinta do Perú course, between Lisbon and Setúbal, south of the Tagus, ranked as Portugal's second best course by the Peugeot Golf Guide. PGA Master professional Tony Bennett and family helped to organise the event which was played in a friendly atmosphere – as well as some ideal sunny weather. There were several extra prizes, especially at the par-3 holes, and a novel competition off one of the tees sponsored by Old Links Golf's rep for the Iberian Peninsula, David Sutcliffe. Contestants, using antique hickory shafted clubs, tried to play to a target line straight down the centre of the fairway, and one precision shot actually landed on it!

Continuing the trend of the two previous years, the winner of the 2008 Portuguese Ladies Open at the Quinta de Cima course was another French player, Anne-Lise Caudal from Biarritz. This was her first win in her short professional career on the Ladies European Tour - a mere nine days shy of her 24th birthday. After establishing a sensational ladies course record of 64 (9 under par) in the first of the three rounds, she never relinquished her lead, although she finally closed the deal by scoring 203 (16 under par), only a single stroke less than her compatriot and good friend, Gwladys Nocera, and Georgina Simpson from England. Anne-Lise, who was runner-up in the 2006 Portuguese Amateur Championship, took home a €30,000 cheque along with the trophy.

  A couple of series of summer tournaments, open to all comers at attractive prices, are being staged by the owners of Quinta do Vale, the new Seve Ballesteros layout overlooking the Guadiana River estuary and the Spanish town Ayamonte over on the far side. The final of the first 4-tournament series takes place on 19th July, followed by the other final on 23rd August. Excellent prizes are up for grabs, including season or annual memberships for men, ladies and corporate entrants, as well as golf equipment. Please contact the course for details.

Coming up on 5th July is the 5th Mackenzie Sir Bobby Robson Golf Classic, a charity event at Vila Sol with a 120-player field including football stars such as Allan Shearer, Andy Townsend, Alan Brazil, Kenny Dalglish, Carlos Xavier, Ricardo (Portugal's goalkeeper), as well as manager Mick McCarthy. In 2007, this event raised €60,000 for a well-known children's home in Faro.

On the same date, the "Portugal Qualifying Event", an 18-hole individual Stableford tournament for The Duke of Edinburgh Cup is being held at the close by Oceânico Victoria course. Also a charity event, it is organised under the auspices of International Golf for Youth, linked to the Duke of Edinburgh's Award and also the equivalent in Portugal, the Prémio Infante Dom Henrique (Prince Henry the Navigator Award). Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex is attending this prestigious event and the winners of the tournament will go forward to play in the world final in the UK from 28th September to 2nd October.

July also sees the return of David Seaman's "Safe Hands" Charity Golf Classic, the venue and dates being Parque da Floresta from the 10th to 13th. The funds raised go the Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research and a group of celebs will be captaining several teams of golfers.

The Lions Club of Lagoa are holding their 8th Stableford Charity Tournament in aid of the Social centre of Carvoeiro. The event will be held on the 16th of August and will be played on the Pinta Course near Carvoeiro. All are welcome and entry details can be obtained from Tel.963 932 247.

Justin Leonard won the Stanford St. Jude Championship in a playoff, holing a 19-foot birdie putt on the second extra hole to beat Masters champion Trevor Immelman and Robert Allenby after they all tied on 4-under-par totals of 276 at TPC Southwind in Memphis. Leonard jumped to Nº 25, a rise of 13 places, while Allenby jumped 10 to 30th and Immelman consolidates his 16th place in the World Ranking.

India's Jeev Milkha Singh had a final round of 18 straight pars to win the Bank Austria Golf Open presented by Telekom Austria. Singh's final round 71 for a three round winning total of 15 under par at the weather affected event was enough to win by a stroke from England's Simon Wakefield. Singh climbed 19 places to Nº 71.

Andrew McArthur at the Reale Challenge de España on the European Challenge Tour.

Tiger Woods won his third US Open Championship title and 14th Major in total after an 18 hole play-off plus one sudden death hole beating brave compatriot Rocco Mediate. The pair had completed 72 holes on one par totals, one stroke ahead of Lee Westwood. Woods celebrates his career 500th week as World Number One, a position he first attained on 15th June 1997. Mediate jumped into the World Top 50 with a 111 place improvement to Nº 47.

England’s David Dixon captured his first European Tour title at the SAINT-OMER OPEN with a flawless round of 66 on an action-packed final day at Aa St Omer Golf Club. The win takes Dixon up to 287th in the World Golf Ranking - up 426 places. This week's other winners were Simon Robinson at the SK Challenge in Finland on the European Challenge Tour and Daniel Im at the Times Colonist Open on the Canadian Tour.

Stewart Cink won the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Connecticut, with a final round of three-under-par 67 to finish at 18-under winning by a single stroke over 2007 champion Hunter Mahan and Tommy Armour III. Cink moved to Nº 6, a career high and an improvement of 6 positions on the previous week.

Martin Kaymer became the first German to win the BMW International Open in its 20 year history after bravely holding off Dane Anders Hansen in a play-off at Golfclub München Eichenried. The 2007 European Tour Rookie of the year climbed 11 places to Nº 30.

This week's other winners were David Horsey at the Telenet Trophy on the European Challenge Tour and Adam Speirs at the Greater Vancouver Charity Classic on the Canadian Tour.

Kenny Perry shot a six-under-par round of 66 to win the Buick Open by a stroke over Woody Austin and Bubba Watson at Warwick Hills G&CC. This was Perry's second win of the year and also the second time he's won this tournament in his career. The victory took Perry to World Nº 19 with an improvement of 8 places.

Spain's Pablo Larrazabal produced a stunning performance at the Open de France ALSTOM at Le Golf National to hold off the challenge of a host of European Tour champions including former Order of Merit winners Colin Montgomerie and Lee Westwood. A final round of 4-under-par 67 gave Larrazabal a four stroke victory over Montgomerie as he leaps 343 places to Nº 138.

This week's other winners were Justin Hicks at the Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic on the Nationwide Tour, Mo Joong-Kyung at the Singha Thailand PGA Championship on the Asian Tour, Taco Remkes at the Scottish Challenge on the European Challenge Tour and Dustin Risdon at the ATB Financial Classic on the Canadian Tour.