DID YOU KNOW – MADEIRA ISLANDS OPEN
• When Des Smyth won the 2001 Madeira Islands Open he created European Tour history by becoming the oldest winner of a European Tour event, aged 48 and 34 days, beating the record of Neil Coles, who was 48 and 14 days , in winning the 1982 Sanyo Open.
• Tano Goya became the youngest Argentine to win on The European Tour International Schedule, when he triumphed here in 2009. He was 20 years and 294 days.
• Alastair Forsyth made history in the Madeira Islands Open by beating Hennie Otto in 2008. This marked the first time the event had required extra holes to find the winner since 1993.
• Madeira has been a happy hunting ground for Sweden, having recorded five victories in the event. They are: Mars Lanner (1994, 98), Jarmo Sandelin (1996), Niclas Fasth (2000) and Christopher Hanell (2004). Along with the Open de España, the Madeira Islands Open has been the most successful European Tour event for Sweden with five wins.
• The Maderia Islands Open will be staged at the Seve Ballesteros- designed Porto Santo Golf Club. Opened in 2004, it is the second Ballesteros course to stage an official event on The European Tour. The first was the 1993 Turespaña Masters Open de Andalucia at Novo Sancti Petri, won by Andrew Oldcorn..
• In 2010 James Morrison graduated from the 2009 European Challenge Tour. He was one of four graduates to win on the 2010 European Tour. The others were: Rhys Davies (Trophée Hassan), Edoardo Molinari (Barclays Scottish Open and Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles) and John Parry (Vivendi Cup).
