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Fri, 1st Aug 2008 In spite of being the height of the summer holidays, there is still some competitive golf being played along the Algarve, such as the local derby between golfers who are Benfica and Sporting fans. A charity event sponsored by Starwood Algarve Hotels & Resorts and to be played over their three Algarve Courses, Penina, San Lorenzo and Pine Cliffs will take place on the 9th, 16th and 23rd of August - entry information can be acquired from any of these three courses. |
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Penina Championship Fri, 1st Aug 2008 The 'Golfe e Comunicacao' series of tournaments played throughout Portugal which is now in its 18th year, is run by Mario Carvalhosa. In 2008 it includes eleven 36-hold individual Stableford events, eight of which in the Algarve plus one each at Montebelo in the north, the Azores archipelago (Furnas and Batalha courses), and finally at the Ballesteros designed layout on Porto Santo Island (near Madeira). The net winners in two handicap divisions of these 11 tournaments qualify to play in a grand final that takes place early next year near Capetown, South Africa. An impressive list of sponsors provide support and prizes, names such as Le Meridien, Black & Decker, Europcar, Johnnie Walker, Lacoste, Luso mineral water, Nevada Bob's Golf shops, Sata Airlines and Solverde Casinos, to mention a few. The latest tournament was staged at the Penina Sir Henry Cotton course where several fantastic scores were returned. Pedro Saldanha taking the scratch to 12 handicap division with an aggregate of 78 points, and Joao Navega won the 12.1 to 18 handicap division with the same tally. Other main prize-winners at the event were: Constantin Schmid (best gross), Fatima Pita (best lady) and Antonio Osorio (best senior). |
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Vila Sol Fri, 1st Aug 2008 We mentioned Alan Shearer in last month's newsletter and he remained in the Algarve for the 'Mackenzie Sir Bobby Robsons 5th Celebrity Golf Classic' at Vila Sol on 5th July. This charity event raises funds for the Refugio Aboim Ascensao in Faro that looks after about 95 children up to the age of 5. Many other celebrities supported the tournament and its fund-raising activities, including Portuguese internationals Paulo Sousa and Ricardo, as well as Ron Atkinson, Martin Chivers, Pat Jennings, Alan Brazil, Francis Lee, Tim Brooke-Taylor, Kenny Dalglish, Steve Bruce, Mick McCarthy, George Burley, Ray Clemence, Jonny Gould and Sam Allardyce and others. Several autographed football shirts, memorabilia, etc. were auctioned off during the gala dinner and the total raised for the home was about € 72,000, including a Ronaldo shirt that fetched £ 6,000. As for the tournament, the Optimum Consultancy team captained by former Manchester United player Frank Stapleton scooped the top prize with 88 Stableford points, one more than three teams including the one with afore-mentioned Portuguese players plus other former footballers Carlos Xavier and Frederico Rosa. |
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Santo Antonio Fri, 1st Aug 2008 More famous footballers were in evidence at David Seaman's 'Safe Hands Charity Golf Classic' staged for the 7th year running at the Parque da Floresta Resort. Sponsored by Zurich Intl. Solutions and HSBC Global Asset Management, the 36-hole tournament attracted 22 teams captained by sports and entertainment celebrities. Footballers present, apart from host David Seaman MBE, included Martin Peters MBE of World Cup 1966 fame, David Platt, Bob Wilson and Frank Stapleton, and amongst the celebrities were Johnnie Briggs MBE, Bradley Walsh, Chris Fairbrass, Colin Salmon, Dane Bowers, Gareth Gates, Kirsty Gallacher and Ben Sheperd. Many valuable prizes were up for grabs at the auction which raised the phenomenal amount of £145,000 for the 'Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research'. The tournament winning team comprised Rugby star Kyran Bracken MBE, Jamie Burton, Craig Young and Tommy Maher representing Johnson Fitness. |
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Victoria Fri, 1st Aug 2008 The Oceanico Algarve Championship, an event on the PGA EuroPro Tour played on the Victoria Course in Vilamoura, was a huge success, in particular for the local players as two of them – old friends Angolan-born Antonio Sobrinho and Ricardo Santos from the Algarve - were in close contention as from the first of the three rounds. With no other challengers appearing from the chasing pack, and with the advantage of local knowledge, Antonio Sobrinho and Ricardo Santos went to the 54th and final hole with the former only one stroke behind on 12 under par. A playoff seemed imminent when Ricardo Santos drove into a fairway bunker but he recovered magnificently and, like his adversary, got up and down for a par to take the crystal-ware and a cheque for €16,250. Ricardo Santos made a strong move by birdying the 11th to 13th holes, and to his credit, Antonio Sobrinho clawed his way back with birdies at the 14th and 17th but just fell short. Northern Ireland's Richard Kilpatrick (Banbridge) finished in third spot at eight under par. |
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Fri, 1st Aug 2008 Rafael Cabrera Bello at the Credit Suisse Challenge, on the European Challenge Tour, and John Ellis at the Telus Edmonton Open, on the Canadian Tour. David Horsey won at the AGF-Allianz EurOpen de Lyon and this was his second win in three weeks on the European Challenge Tour and Josh Geary at the Saskatchewan Open on the Canadian Tour. On the PGA Tour Richard S Johnson from Sweden won the US Bank Championship in Milwaukie by a stroke from Ken Duke after both players birdied the 72nd hole. The victory propelled Johnson 340 places up to Nº 272. |
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Fri, 1st Aug 2008 Ross Fisher - (England) The European Open The London - Ash - Kent - England - 3rd to 6th July, 2008 Ross Fisher led from wire-to-wire and with a holed bunker shot for birdie on the 72nd hole secured a seven stroke victory at the European Open held at The London Club. This second career European Tour victory moved the Wentworth Club based Ross Fisher up 47 positions to Nº 57. |
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Fri, 1st Aug 2008 Graeme McDowell - (Northern Ireland) The Barclays Scottish Open Loch Lomond - Glasgow - Scotland - 10th to 13th July, 2008 Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell won The Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond Golf Club by two shots after a final round of 68 left him on 13 under par. South African James Kingston was second on 273, while Australia's Richard Green and Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez were a shot further back in third. McDowell leaped into the World Top 30 with this win and his World Golf Ranking at Nº 29. |
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Fri, 1st Aug 2008 Padraig Harrington - (Ireland) 137th Open Championship Royal Birkdale - Southport - Merseyside - England - 17th to 20th July, 2008 Padraig Harrington successfully defended the The Open Championship title in superb style on a windswept final day at Royal Birkdale. Padraig Harrington carded a closing round of 69 for a three over total of 283, finishing four shots clear of Ian Poulter who also shot 69. Overnight leader Greg Norman finished tied third along with Sweden's Henrik Stenson. Padraig Harrington jumped 11 places to a career high World Nº 3, while Ian Poulter moved up to Nº 23. |
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Fri, 1st Aug 2008 Mikael Lundberg - (Sweden) Inteco Russian Open Golf Championship 2008 Le Meridien Moscow - Moscow - Russia - 24th to 27th July, 2008 Sweden's Mikael Lundberg claimed his second Inteco Russian Open title in four years as he carded a final round of 68 for a 21-under-par total at Moscow Country Club and a two-shot victory over Jose Manuel Lara from Spain. Lundberg leaped 171 positions to 179th in the latest Official World Golf Ranking. |
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Fri, 1st Aug 2008 Vijay Singh - (Fiji) WGC - Bridgestone Invitational Firestone - Akron - Ohio - USA - 31st to 3rd August, 2008 Vijay Singh from Fiji shot a final round of two-under-par 68 at the Firestone Country Club to win the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational by a shot from overnight co-leader Lee Westwood and Stuart Appleby. Phil Mickelson tied for fourth place with Retief Goosen. This was Vijay Singh's first win since taking the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March 2007, his 32nd on the PGA Tour and it took him to World Number 4,with an improvement of 11 places. |
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