PORTUGAL MASTERS

PGA EUROPEAN TOUR –

OCEANICO VILAMOURA

‘VICTORIA’ GOLF COURSE,

ALGARVE.

October 10th – 13th 2013

At a Press Conference held last week at

Lisbon’s ‘Tivoli Hotel ‘– ‘Skybar’ - on

Avenida Liberdade, it was confirmed that

Germany’s Ryder Cup star Martin Kaymer

would be taking part in the 2013 Portugal

Masters, adding his name to an already

impressive list of players. (Keen golfers

will

probably

remember

that it was

Kaymer’s

point in

the singles

on the

final day of

the 2012

Ryder Cup

which

ensured Europe would retain the trophy).

‘Victoria was previewed in 2000, at the

opening of the appropriately-named

‘Millennium’ course, and opened two

‘

years later. The course presents a worthy

challenge and has proved increasingly

popular with competitors and spectators

alike: Kaymer will be hoping to win his

first European title of the season.

Having shot a course record of 61 (in

2007) and with two top ten finishes, his

hopes of sharing a substantial amount of

the two million euro prize purse will

doubtless be high, but he will inevitably

face fierce competition.

Arnold Palmer on the 13th green, at the Official

Opening of ‘Victoria’, Vilamoura.

Returning to Portugal’s

Algarve now for the

seventh successive year,

the Event is played at the

Arnold Palmer Company-

designed course at

Vilamoura – Oceanico ‘

Victoria’

Ireland’s Shane Lowry will look to

successfully defend his 2012 title

while a strong Spanish contingent,

together with the ever popular and

colourful figure of Miguel Angel Jiménez,

led by Alvaro Quiros (champion in 2008),

also features Rafa Cabrera-Bello and

Pablo Larrazábal.

Another Ryder Cup star – Francesco

Molinari – returns to take part in an event

in which he has twice finished runner-up.

For Portugal, the challenge is again led by

local hero (and Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of

the Year - 2012), Ricardo Santos, for

whom this is his home course and whose

loyal supporters are both friends and

family, since he lives nearby.

Other national players include Ricardo’s

brother, Hugo Santos, together with

Antonio Rosado, José Filipe Lima, Tiago

Cruz and Pedro Figueiredo – the latter

having turned professional this summer,

following a sparkling amateur career.

Promoted by the PGA European Tour and

PGA Portugal, leading host Sponsors are

Turismo de Portugal, together with host

venue, Oceanico ‘Victoria’, and joined this

year by one of the largest and most

popular of Portugal’s beer producers,

UNICER, who have signed a three year

Official Sponsorship agreement.

It is worth noting that Advance Tickets for

the Portugal Masters are available on line,

offering substantial savings on gate prices.

Contact: www.europeantourtickets.com

Text: Sue Farmer – IAGTO/IGTWA

Photos: Geoffrey Farmer - IAGTO