Phillip Price and Lee Westwood, two members of last year's winning Ryder Cup team get together again at Vale do Lobo this week for the 47th staging of the Algarve Open de Portugal.
For Price in particular, a return to Portugal will evoke happy memories, for his two victories on The European Tour International Schedule to date have come in the event, in 1994 and 2001.
In 1994, the 36 year old Welshman won at Penha Longa before triumphing again at Quinta do Lago in 2001, a superb final round 64 seeing him come from four shots behind to triumph over Padraig Harrington and Sven Strüver.
Now Price has a chance to write his name into the record books as only the third man in history to win the title three times, following Spaniards Angel Miguel (1954, 1956 and 1964) and Ramon Sota (1963, 1969 and 1970).
As well as the more established players, the Algarve Open de Portugal offers the opportunity for the players setting out on their careers to savour the experience of a European Tour event and perhaps emerge with their maiden victory, just as Carl Pettersson did last year when he beat David Gilford in a play-off at Vale do Lobo.
A number of players who earned their playing privileges through the Challenge Tour or the Qualifying School will tee up in the Algarve, including England's John E Morgan who finished eighth on the 2002 Challenge Tour Rankings before also coming through the US PGA Tour Qualifying School to gain his card in America.
"It will be nice to come home and see my family and friends and I am really looking forward to competing in Portugal," said Morgan. "I feel that I am getting better and better every week I play, so it's just a case of keep on playing and keep on grafting away."
All competitors will once again have to pit their wits against the composite course at Vale do Lobo, made up from the resort's shorter Ocean Course and its longer Royal Course.
This year's 18 holes will be 17 yards longer in total than the layout played last year, thanks to lengthening of the course's two par threes on the back nine, the 11th, which has increased by ten yards to 234, and the 16th, which has increased by seven yards to 217.
