Spain’s Pablo Martin, who created history last year by becoming the first amateur to win on The European Tour, returns to the scene of his finest golfing moment when he defends the Estoril Open de Portugal at Oitavos Dunes, Estoril, this week.
Martin bids to emulate England’s Paul Broadhurst, who won the title in 2005 and went on to make a successful defence 12 months later. This time, however, the 21 year old from Malaga intends being paid for his labours rather than simply holding the silverware.
Martin tied for 25th in the MAPFRE Open de Andalucia by Valle Romano just along the coast in Marbella last weekend to fine-tune his game for an eagerly-awaited title defence.
He has fond memories of that extraordinary week when he turned the world of professional golf upside down and recalled: “It was unbelievable. It really changed my life and opened so many doors.
“I’m looking forward to going back. I talked to my dad and brother and they went to Oitavos recently for an amateur tournament and they were telling me the course is in good shape. It is a great place to go.
“I am planning on spending some time down there after the tournament as they have a great beach and I like surfing, so I said to my caddie if I play well we will hang around there.”
An impressive field has assembled on the scenic coastline close to Lisbon, including The European Tour’s two most recent champions, Thomas Levet of France and Scotland’s Alastair Forsyth, who both attempt to add another title to their CVs after winning, respectively, in Spain and Madeira.
Levet, who claimed his fourth European Tour title at the Aloha Golf Club, is joined in the field by the hugely talented Englishman Oliver Fisher - still just 19 - whom he beat in a play-off for the MAPFRE Open de Andalucia by Valle Romano.
The French Ryder Cup player, who was already on Tour when Fisher was born, believes that the teenager has the talent to be one of the game’s biggest stars. He said: “I think he is going to be the next Nick Faldo because his game is unbelievable. If he stays on Tour for another few years and keeps improving the way he has done he will be at the level of Tiger, he is that good.”
Also in the field are Northern Ireland’s Darren Clarke, winner of two World Golf Championship titles, England’s David Howell and Ireland’s Paul McGinley, who holed the winning putt in The 2002 Ryder Cup at The Belfry.
Howell is one of the three winners of the BMW PGA Championship – The European Tour’s flagship event – in the field along with Scotland’s Scott Drummond (2004) and Spain’s Ignacio Garrido (2003).
McGinley, meanwhile, is one of the six World Cup winners taking part but it is Welshman Stephen Dodd who will be particularly looking forward to returning to Portugal having enjoyed the sweet taste of success in the team format by winning the 2005 World Cup on the Algarve.
He will be joined by one of the current holders of the World Cup title, Marc Warren, who in partnership with Colin Montgomerie claimed Scotland’s first victory in the Omega Mission Hills World Cup in China last November, and other World Cup winners Peter Fowler (Australia 1989), Per-Ulrik Johansson (Sweden 1991), and Marcel Siem (Germany 2006). All will be looking for individual glory this time.
Steve Webster of England has already achieved that feat and makes a return to the country where he won the inaugural Portugal Masters in October last year.
José-Filipe Lima, who won the 2004 Aa St Omer Open, leads the home challenge at a popular venue which will be hosting its third European Tour event and has previously also hosted events on the Seniors Tour, Challenge Tour and Ladies European Tour.
The Estoril Open de Portugal is one of the three Portuguese events in The 2008 European Tour International Schedule, two weeks after the Madeira Islands Open BPI – Portugal and six months before the Portugal Masters in the Algarve.
The trilogy of Portuguese golf tournaments is the highlight of the Portugal Tourism Board’s strategy, outlined last year in co-operation with The European Tour and the Portuguese Golf Federation.
