Since the event became part of The European Tour International Schedule in 1973, it has seen 16 players claim their maiden European Tour title. They include: Jamie Benito (1973), Hal Underwood (1975), Salvador Balbuena (1976), Manuel Ramos (1977), Howard Clark (1978), Tony Johnstone (1984), Warren Humphreys (1985), Mike Harwood (1988), Colin Montgomerie (1989), Mike McLean (1990), Phillip Price (1994), Adam Hunter (1995), Michael Jonzon (1997), Van Phillips (1999), Gary Orr (2000) and Carl Pettersson (2002).
On his way to victory in the 1987 Portuguese Open staged at Estoril Golf Club, Robert Lee shot 27 en route to a first round 61, to become the only player in European Tour history to shoot 27 twice. His first 27 was in the 1985 Johnnie Walker Monte Carlo Open.
Pettersson’s victory in 2002 overcoming David Gilford in a play-off represented the last time a European Tour event was cut to 36 holes.
Defending champion, Paul Broadhurst entered the winner’s circle for the fifth time and the first time since the 1995 Peugeot Open de France – a gap of nine years and 282 days – the eighth biggest gap between victories in European Tour history.
Former winners of the event at the Le Meridien Penina Golf and Resort who are playing, are Phillips (1999) and Orr (2000).
The 1994 and 2001 champion, Phillip Price won his first two European Tour events in Portugal. Price, joins Tom Watson (1975 and 1977 Open Championship), Greg Norman (1977 and 1979 Martini International), Paul Azinger (1990 and 1992 BMW International Open), Mark Davis (1991 and 1994 (Hohe Brücke Open), Trevor Immelman (2003 and 2004 South African Airways Open), Tim Clark (2002 and 2005 South African Airways Open) and Thongchai Jaidee (2004 and 2005 Carlsberg Malaysian Open) to achieve this feat.
