European Tour back home for Madeira Open
BY Bruce Young | European PGA Tour | 2008 Madeira Islands Open | Preview | 19 Mar 2008
The European Tour has not yet made it back to Continental Europe but it has reached the next best thing as it arrives at the Madeira Islands, some 880 kilometres off the south west coast of Portugal, for this week’s Madiera Islands.
The event will once again be played at the stunning Robert Trent Jones designed Santo da Serra where in 2007, Argentina’s Daniel Vancsik, won his maiden European Tour event by a staggering seven shots.
As could be expected with an event competing with the World Golf Championship in Florida, this event contains a weak field by comparison with recent European Tour events but as is always the case in such tournaments, and as was the case with Vancsik last year, it provides a great opportunity for the lesser players to gain security.
Perhaps surprisingly Vancsik is not defending his title this week but after a good run of form in a stretch of events in Asia it may be that he feels the need to rest.
Favourtism therefore might just go to the Welshman Bradley Dredge who has had only a limited campaign in 2008 but has played well enough when he has. In his last start, at the Accenture match Play Championship, he defeated Rory Sabbatini in the opening round before going down narrowly to Paul Casey in the second round. He is by far the highest world ranked player in the field and as a previous winner over this layout has every chance of doing so again.
Alexander Noren did well when finishing 7th last year at this event. He has yet to win on the European Tour but there have been several very good finishes in events considerably stronger than this. In just his second full season on the European Tour his first win is not too far away and an event like this provides a great opportunity for the 25-year-old Swede.
Chile’s Felipe Aguilar is back on the European Tour in 2008 after a year on the Challenge Tour in 2007 where he finished third on the money list. The 33-year-old won his first European Tour event in Indonesia recently and possesses once of the most accurate game’s on the European Tour. He has played solidly enough since and although he has rushed back from a demanding campaign in Asia he could continue his good run of form.
Gregory Bourdy finished 7th here in 2007 and although he has not played all that well in 2008 he might be ready to improve back in a region where he has played well previously.
The Australasian representation is not strong numerically with Matthew Millar perhaps the best chance amongst the five lining up. Peter Fowler, Wade Ormsby, Gareth Paddison and Steve Alker all getting a chance.
