Open de Portugal returns to Penina
IN: News | European PGA | Portugal Open (2006) | Preview | by Bruce Young | 30 Mar 2006
It's the Algarve Open de Portugal on the southern coast of Portugal which will be the focus of attention this week as the European Tour tackles the fairways of the Le Meridien Penina Golf and Resort Club.
The Penina layout designed by one of the greats of British golf, Henry Cotton, first staged this championship in 1976 when American Hal Underwood won the tournament but the event has been rotated around several courses in recent years.
The defending champion is Paul Broadhurst although when he won twelve months ago it was held at the Arthur Hills designed Oitavos Golfe Club near Lisbon. Two years ago when the tournament was last held at the venue for this week's event it was won by Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez who is fine tuning his game for the Masters elsewhere.
The field is much the same as that which played last week on the island of Madeira with last week's winner Jean Van de Velde amongst the entrants. The last time the Frenchman played here it was in 1999 just a few months before his dramatic last day at Carnoustie.
Despite the fact that many of Europe's leading players are otherwise occupied in the US three of the last four winners on this year's tour are here. They are of course Simon Tyson, Johan Edfors and Van de Velde.
Nick Dougherty is likely to be the favourite to do well. He has missed only one cut in his last sixteen starts when playing all over the world and arrives here after finishing 2nd and 4th at his last two starts. He was 23rd at this venue two years ago.
Niclas Fasth was perhaps disappointing last week but his form has generally been good enough for him to be considered a threat to Dougherty.
Brian Davis is a player good enough to have finished 20th last week at the Players Championship in the US which showcased a field considerably stronger than that lining up here.
Ricardo Gonzalez was playing beautifully before taking time off after the Dubai Classic. The last time he played at Penina he was 9th in 1999 and since then of course he has become a significant performer on the European Tour.
There was a lot to like about Paul Lawrie's tournament last week on Madiera Island in his first event since early February and he will be better for having played there.
There are many others with chances including the defending champion Broadhurst, Bradley Dredge, Jose Manuel Lara, David Lynn and rookie Ross Fisher. Dredge has played a lot of very solid tournaments of late and a big week is expected of him this week.
Of the Australasians in the event only Matthew Millar and Stephen Scahill will be here this week. Millar is in his rookie season in Europe and with nearly €60,000 to his name this season he is quietly but successfully going about his business.
The tournament carries a purse of €1.25 million.
