The European Challenge Tour returns to Portugal this week for the Open de Portugal at Royal Óbidos, held at Royal Óbidos Spa and Golf Resort, and here’s everything you need to know for the week ahead.
Seve designed
The course at Royal Óbidos was designed by the great Seve Ballesteros, making it back-to-back events held at Seve-designed courses on the Road to Mallorca after last week’s Hopps Open de Provence at Golf International de Pont Royal. Designed to integrate subtly with the natural surroundings, taking advantage of the undulating terrain, the course offers a true test of golf with swirling wind often changing how the course plays, with magnificent views of the Atlantic Ocean.
Springboard to success
The Open de Portugal has a history of providing the foundations for a player to go on to further success. Some of the biggest names in golf have their name etched on the trophy including Ryder Cup Captains Thomas Bjørn, Colin Montgomerie and Sam Torrance, as well as Paul Broadhurst and Miguel Ángel Jiménez. In its current guise, it has helped excel the careers of several players, none more so than last year’s champion Garrick Higgo. The event was dual-ranked between the Challenge Tour and European Tour, meaning the winner would earn full playing privileges on the top tier, which South African Higgo duly accomplished. He has taken full advantage of the opportunity, winning twice more on the European Tour and once on the PGA TOUR.
Eyeing immediate promotion
Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia will this week go in search of his third victory of the season and with it immediate graduation to the European Tour. The 30-year-old triumphed at the Italian Challenge and the Made in Esbjerg Challenge – Presented by FREJA & TotalEnergies in back-to-back starts and has his European Tour card all but secured as he lies second on the Road to Mallorca Rankings. However, should he win for a third time, he would earn playing privileges in the 2021 season on the Race to Dubai and this would be the perfect week to do so, as he tees it up in his National Open.
