The Portugal Masters has been added to the DP World Tour’s 2022

The Portugal Masters has been added to the DP World Tour’s 2022 schedule, with the event confirmed to take place from October 27-30 at Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course, in Vilamoura.

It will be the 16th consecutive edition of the tournament which became part of the DP World Tour in 2007, that has been held on the Dom Pedro Victoria Course since its first edition.

The €2million event will conclude a four-event late season ‘Iberian Swing’, with the Portugal Masters following three consecutive weeks in Spain comprising the acciona Open de España presented by Madrid (October 6-9), Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters (October 13-16) and the Mallorca Golf Open (October 20-23).

Last year, Belgium’s Thomas Pieters became the 16th different winner of the Portugal Masters with a two-stroke victory at Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course.

The former Ryder Cup player closed with a round of 68 to hold off the challenges of France’s Matthieu Pavon and Danish pair Lucas Bjerregaard - the 2017 champion - and Nicolai Højgaard, who surged through the field with a final round 64.

It was Pieters’s fifth DP World Tour title and the 30-year-old went on to add a sixth just two months later when he claimed a maiden Rolex Series title at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship in January.

Ben Cowen, Chief Tournament Business Officer for the DP World Tour, said: “Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course has provided plenty of drama and excitement over the years, we so we are delighted to be returning for the 16th consecutive staging of the Portugal Masters.

“We appreciate Turismo de Portugal’s long-term support of this tournament, which showcases Portugal to our global audience.”

Stefano Saviotti, Chairman of Dom Pedro Hotels & Golf Collection, said: “The Portugal Masters is an extremely important showcase of golf in the Algarve and we are pleased to welcome the world’s finest golfers to the Dom Pedro Victoria Course, in Vilamoura.

“This has been a great year for Dom Pedro Hotels & Golf Collection, and to host the DP World Tour Tour once more in our golf course and hotels, allows us to confirm why Vilamoura has a reputation as one of Europe’s most requested golf destinations. We look forward to hosting such a notable event and crowning the 2022 champion.”

Luis Araújo, President of Turismo de Portugal, said: “Portugal has been consolidating its international prestige as a premium golf destination, which is mainly down to the quality and diversity of courses offered throughout the country.

“The numerous awards and distinctions that we have collected only serves to confirm this, and the confidence that the DP World Tour places in the country takes on a special importance. In each of the last 15 years, Portugal has hosted one of the tournaments on the Tour’s calendar, Portugal Masters.

“To once again host this internationally renowned event confirms that Portugal not only has the perfect conditions for casual golfers to play and practice, but also the capacity and facilities to host professional events of the highest international standard.”

“The 16th edition of Portugal Masters attests to the continuous commitment of all of the tournament’s partners, Turismo de Portugal as well as the regional entities and companies in the Algarve, all sharing the same vision in pursuit of a product of excellence.”

Dom Pedro Victoria is one of five premium golf courses within the Dom Pedro Hotels & Golf Collection.

#unitedphotopress

Read More

PORTUGAL MASTERS 2022 Stays in Portugal

The Portugal Masters is once again part of the 2022 DP World Tour official calendar and will take place at Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course, in Vilamoura, from October 27 to October 30, with the Pro-Am on the 26th.

 

This year will be the 16th time the tournament has been played. Established in 2007, it is contested annually at the Arnold Palmer–designed Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course.

 

The tournament of €1.75 million in cash prizes will culminate in the 'Iberian Swing' from the final phase of the season, after three straight weeks in Spain.

 

Last year, Thomas Pieters became the 14th different champion of the Portugal Masters and in the first Belgian to win it. Thomas Pieters won with a total of 19 strokes under par and a 2 advantage strokes over three players at the Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course.

 

To quote DP World Tour's "Chief Tournament Business Officer" Ben Cowen: "The Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course has provided immense sports drama and enthusiasm for over the years. We are therefore delighted for returning for the 16th consecutive year to this course as the stage for the Portugal Masters».

«We value the long-term support of Turismo de Portugal to this tournament, which takes Portugal to our audience on a global scale," added the leader of European golf.

 

Stefano Saviotti, the 'Chairman' of Dom Pedro Hotels & Golf Collection, said: "The Portugal Masters is extremely important as a showcase for golf in the Algarve and we are pleased to welcome the best golfers in the world at Dom Pedro Victoria Course, in Vilamoura».

 

Luís Araújo, the President of Turismo de Portugal, considered: «Portugal has consolidated its international prestige as a 'premium' golf destination, which, in large part, is due to the quality and diversity of courses across the country».

 

“The numerous awards and distinctions that we have been targeted only confirm this fact and the trust that the DP World Tour places in the country are especially important. In each one of the last 15 years, Portugal has received one of the tournaments on the calendar of the Tour, the Portugal Masters», underlined Luís Araújo.

 

“We welcome again this recognized event international level, confirming that Portugal has, not only, the perfect conditions for any golfer to play and train, but also the capacity and infrastructure to accommodate most demanding international events", declared the president of the Turismo de Portugal.

 

«The 16th edition of the Portugal Masters proves the ongoing commitment of all partners of the tournament, Turismo de Portugal, as well as of regional entities and companies in the Algarve. 

We all share the same vision of a product of excellence», concluded.

Hugo Ribeiro

Press Officer

www.facebook.com/hugoribeirouppmagazine 

Read More

Portugal Masters returns to Algarve

The European Tour has added the Portugal Masters to its 2021 schedule, with the rearranged tournament now set to take place at Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course, in Vilamoura, from November 4-7.

This will be the 15th consecutive edition of the event which became part of the European Tour in 2007.

The €1.5 million event was originally due to take place at the end of April but was postponed due to travel difficulties caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

It has now been rescheduled for 4-7 November, replacing the Volvo China Open which, due to the ongoing effects of the pandemic, will be played as a national event only this year and will not be sanctioned by the European Tour.

South African George Coetzee claimed the title when the Portugal Masters was last played in September 2020, finishing two shots clear of Englishman Laurie Canter to secure his fifth European Tour title.

He joined a list of champions that includes Lee Westwood (2009), Shane Lowry (2012) and Pádraig Harrington (2016).

Keith Pelley, Chief Executive of the European Tour, said: “We are delighted to confirm the rescheduled Portugal Masters as we continue to reshape the end of our season following yesterday’s announcement of the Mallorca Golf Open.

“Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course has been a popular venue with our players, and it has produced plenty of drama, so we are very pleased to be able to return for the 15th year in a row. We are grateful to the venue for accommodating us at a busy time of the year and to Turismo de Portugal for their long-term support of this tournament.

“Naturally, it is disappointing we are unable to sanction the Volvo China Open again this year, but we have long-standing relationships with Volvo and the China Golf Association, and we look forward to that event returning to our schedule in 2022.”

Stefano Saviotti, Chairman of Dom Pedro Hotels & Golf Collection “The Portugal Masters is an incredibly important showcase of golf in The Algarve and we are delighted to once again welcome some of the world’s finest golfers to the Dom Pedro Victoria Course.

“After a difficult period, the European Tour's return to our facilities enables us to demonstrate why Vilamoura and Dom Pedro Hotels & Golf Collection has a reputation as one of Europe’s most sought after golf destinations. We look forward to hosting such a prestigious event and crowning the 2021 champion.”

Luis Araújo, President of Turismo de Portugal, said: "The Portugal Masters is of great importance for the tourism sector in Portugal, providing great media exposure of the whole country. It confirms that Portugal continues to be an excellent destination for all golfers, and an international presence in terms of major sporting events. This is a very prestigious competition, and it will be an important moment to showcase the international prestige of our country.”

Read More

'Maybe the greatest golf shot you'll ever see': Jon Rahm skips ball across pond in amazing hole-in-one at the Masters

Rahm makes trick shot hole-in-one in Masters practice

Jon Rahm on Tuesday had a hole-in-one at Augusta National for the second day in a row, and this time there was a camera to record the feat for posterity even if there were no fans to celebrate the feat.

Jon Rahm, on his 26th birthday, produced potentially one of the all-time best golf shots during a practice round on Tuesday ahead of the 2020 Masters.

The Spanish golfer skipped the ball across the pond on hole No. 16, as is tradition in the practice rounds in the lead-up to the iconic major in Augusta, Georgia.

But after taking a favorable bounce when the ball made land on the other side, it weaved all the way across the lush Augusta green and finally into the hole for a remarkable hole-in-one.

Rahm's extraordinary feat unsurprisingly sent fans on Twitter into meltdown, with words such as "ludicrous" and "ridiculous" being used to describe it. Some even called it "maybe the greatest golf shot you'll ever see."

There is no record of Rahm’s Monday ace at the 225-yard fourth hole, except for a short grainy video of him extracting the ball from the cup.

But the TV cameras were running on Tuesday when the Spaniard stepped up to the tee box at the par-three 16th on his 26th birthday, and attempted a trick shot that is part of the Masters practice round tradition.

Eschewing a tee, he hit his ball off the turf and skipped it across the pond, his ball skimming the water three times before bouncing up onto the putting surface.

From there it rolled and rolled, taking the contour of the green perfectly and curling up and around to the left and then down into the cup, which was cut in the back left corner of the green.

Sports reporter Tyler Greever called it "one of the most ridiculous things I've ever seen in sports."

And while Rahm's shot would've likely sent patrons on the course into delirium, it was met with just the cheers of his fellow golfers and their caddies as spectators are not permitted at the Masters in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

His ball was on the move for 20 seconds, the excitement only building as it got closer and closer to the hole.

In normal times there would have been thousands of spectators milling about the hole but in the absence of fans, banned this year due to novel coronavirus concerns, only a handful of people witnessed the feat and screamed in delight.

Rahm could barely contain his joy, while practice round partner Rickie Fowler almost keeled over in laughter at the improbability of it all.

The episode offered a timely reminder of how this year’s Masters will be so very different.

Though players have quickly adjusted to playing without fans since returning to competition after a three-month professional golf shutdown, the Masters and its “patrons” as they are known are inextricably linked.

“Just imagine the roars that would have created in a normal year,” said Rory McIlroy, speaking at a news conference shortly after learning of Rahm’s ace.

Imagine also if there had been nobody there when Tiger Woods chipped in famously at the same 16th hole and celebrated with a primal scream in the final round en route to victory in 2005.

Or if all had been quiet when Jack Nicklaus almost aced the hole as he charged to victory in 1986.

This year some players are not even bothering with the trick shot practice round routine.

“It’s definitely for the fans,” said Justin Thomas.

“Sunday we were going to skip (our balls) and we had a group of members behind us, and they were on the 15th green, so we didn’t feel the need to hold them up.

“And then yesterday Tiger and Freddy didn’t really want to and I kind of do whatever they say around this place, so I’m 0-for-2.”

Reporting by Andrew Both; Editing by Ken Ferris

Read More