Will Algarve Open de Portugal be another stepping stone?

BY Bruce Young | European PGA Tour | 2004 Portugal Open | Preview | 31 Mar 2004

Last year it was played the week after the Masters, this year the week before and so the Algarve Open de Portugal will again face the prospect of a field depleted of most of Europe’s stars. While it would be perhaps possible for participants here to get to Augusta immediately following the event, clearly those with a start at Augusta would prefer the more leisurely route to the first major of the year, either via the BellSouth Classic or a week off.

The event still carries a significant purse, despite the lack of leading players and as we have seen with recent winners the event has provided a significant boost to a number of careers.

When Philip Price won here in 2001 it would be his first win on the European Tour since his victory in the same event seven years earlier and played a significant role in his Ryder Cup team selection for that year, although subsequently held over until 2002.

In 2002, Carl Pettersen won for the first and only time to date on the European Tour and the victory would serve as a major boost in his quest for a USPGA Tour card which he acquired later that year.

Last year Frederik Jacobson won the second of three titles he secured in Europe in the 2003 season and the win served as the catalyst for a run of brilliant form in the majors that year, including his 5th and 6th placings at the US and British Opens respectively. Jacobson will debut at Augusta next week so will not be here this week.

Perhaps in 2004 it is the chance for yet another fine young European player to gain his first win on the European Tour. Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin has threatened for some time to finally “get across the line” and this week presents a great opportunity to do just that. He will certainly be amongst the favourites. Jacquelin has started the year brilliantly with four top tens in eight starts and although he was disappointing in Singapore where he missed the cut by four, it may pay to look at the earlier finishes in Qatar (3rd) and Dubai (20th), as a guide.

Miguel Angel Jiminez is perhaps unlucky not to be at Augusta, being just outside the top 50 this week when the field for the Masters was finalised. His win at the recent Johnnie Walker Classic was followed by two missed cuts in three starts, the other a first round loss at the Accenture. His misfortune at not being in the US preparing for Augusta is this tournament’s gain however, as he is the highest ranked player in the world here this week.

Joakim Haeggman won in Qatar and is here following his 10th place finish in Singapore in his only start since his win. He has played well here on occasions in the past so should be considered now that he has ’the week after the win’ out of the way.

Welshman Bradley Dredge is in good form at present with three top twenties in his last three starts suggesting that something even better is on the way.

The layout at Le Meridian Penina was designed by Henry Cotton and was last used for this event in 2000. The course was the first of the courses built in the Algarve region for the tourist market. The area has now become one of the more renowned golfing destinations in Europe. Opened in 1966 the course has creeping bent greens and measures some 6350 metres or just under 7000 yards.

Australians playing this week include last week’s unlucky player Brad Kennedy, who has been placed second twice in his last four starts, previous winner of this event Wayne Riley, Paul Marantz, Terry Price, Daniel Gaunt and Craig Spence.