The European Tour will break new ground again this week when, for the first time, it pays a visit to Vale do Lobo on the Algarve for the 46th staging of the Algarve Open de Portugal.
A composite course from the resort’s shorter Ocean Course and its longer Royal Course will make up the 7108 yard, par 72 test that will provide the stage for competitors trying to halt Welshman Phillip Price’s bid for a successful title defence.
A year ago at nearby Quinta do Lago, Price followed up his initial victory in the event at Penha Longa in 1994 with a stunning final day display to come from four shots behind at the start of the day to grab a memorable two shot victory.
Price made his intentions clear early in the last round with five birdies in the first six holes and he kept his composure in the middle of the round before signing off with birdies at the 16th and 17th holes to post a 64 for a 15 under par total of 273.
Playing in the fifth from last group, the Welshman was faced with an anxious wait to see if anyone in the final four pairings could match his achievement but no-one could, the closest anyone came being Padraig Harrington and Sven Strüver who shared second on 275.
The win gave Price the impetus to go on and book his place in the European Team for The 34th Ryder Cup Matches at The De Vere Belfry and although no such rankings exist at present, the desire for victory amongst the 126-strong field will remain as strong with a two year exemption and valuable Volvo Order of Merit money at stake.
Should Price triumph again, he would join an exclusive club of players who have won back-to-back Algarve Open de Portugal titles, the other two being current European Ryder Cup Captain Sam Torrance (1982-83) and six time Ryder Cup Englishman Ken Bousfield (1960-61).
Torrance will tee up again, hoping to capitalise on the excellent start he made to The 2002 European Tour season, where he finished in a tie for 12th place in the Dubai Desert Classic, a couple of months after having undergone keyhole surgery for a cartilage problem.
Amongst the numerous former champions in action this week are the three players who preceeded Price onto the winners’ rostrum, namely Scotland’s Gary Orr and Englishmen Van Phillips and Peter Mitchell, all three winners at Le Meridien Penina.
Orr, like Price, produced a final round performance to remember, eagling the final hole to deny the Welshman another victory in the event and with a par three, a par five and a par four in the final three holes of the Composite Vale do Lobo course, another exciting tournament ending could be on the cards.
