The Open de Portugal at Royal Óbidos returns to Royal Óbidos Spa and Golf Resort this week as the 2021 Road to Mallorca edges towards its conclusion. Here are three men to keep an eye on this week…
Ewen Ferguson
Scotsman Ewen Ferguson is in the form of his life having already secured three runner-up finishes, a third place and two more top tens to sit fourth in the Road to Mallorca Rankings. The 25-year-old is all-but guaranteed to earn a European Tour card for 2022 but, with five events of the season remaining, has a handful of opportunities to earn a maiden European Challenge Tour victory after coming close on several occasions this year.
Dimitrios Papadatos
A past winner of this event when it was held at Morgado Golf Resort, Dimitrios Papadatos is a man who needs a good week to secure his spot in the season-ending Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final Supported by The R&A. The Australian has been on the road since mid-May having not been able to return to his home country but is still as enthusiastic as ever to compete on the Challenge Tour. The 30-year-old is currently 41st on the Road to Mallorca Rankings and will be looking for a string of strong results to move towards that all important top 20.
Vitor Lopes
Portugal’s Vitor Lopes returns to the scene of arguably his greatest week as a professional after finishing seventh in last year’s Open de Portugal at Royal Óbidos. The Portuguese teed it up in the final group in 2020 as the 54-hole leader, but eventually finished tied seventh after posting a closing even par round of 72. Nevertheless, it proved to the 25-year-old that he had the game to compete at the top level, with last year’s tournament being dual-ranked with the European Tour. He currently sits inside the top ten on the Alps Tour Order of Merit after deciding to focus his attention on the satellite tour in order to earn full Challenge Tour playing privileges in 2022 and that goal could be achieved with four good rounds this week…
