Seven time Volvo Order of Merit winner Colin Montgomerie returns to the scene of his maiden European Tour victory this week with the Algarve Open de Portugal being played at Quinta do Lago for the first time since 1990.
Montgomerie, making his first appearance in continental Europe this season, captured the first of his 24 European Tour titles in 1989 over the famous Algarve links, one of the flagship courses in the portfolio of PGA European Tour Courses.
His final round of 63, nine under par, set a new course record and his 24 under par total of 264 was the lowest championship return at Quinta do Lago by six shots. The winning margin of 11 strokes equalled the largest on The European Tour and since then has been matched twice and beaten only once, by Tiger Woods in the 100th US Open last year.
Montgomerie headlines a star cast that includes his fellow Scot, Gary Orr, the defending champion. Twelve months ago, after three second place finishes, Orr finally overcame the "psychological barrier" and made his winning breakthrough, conjuring up a magnificent eagle three on the last hole at Le Meridien Penina to edge out Phillip Price by a single stroke.
Orr went on to win the Victor Chandler British Masters last August, holding off Montgomerie's challenge, and finished the season in tenth place in the Volvo Order of Merit.
Quinta do Lago last hosted the Algarve Open de Portugal in 1990 when Mike McLean triumphed by a stroke from Gordon Brand Jnr and Mike Harwood with Mark James and Paul Broadhurst a further shot off the pace.
Tony Johnstone, winner of the Qatar Masters in March, is another past winner at Quinta do Lago having won on this course in 1984. Quinta do Lago has hosted the Algarve Open de Portugal on seven previous occasions in total.
Johnstone, McLean, Montgomerie and Orr are among 13 former champions of this event in the starting line up. Others include Ryder Cup captain Sam Torrance, who makes his second appearance of the year in the tournament he won in 1982 and successfully defended the following year. Torrance is one of only two players to have successfully defended the title, following in the footsteps of Ken Bousfield 20 years earlier.
Also in the field is England’s Roger Chapman who this week will become the sixth player to compete in 500 European Tour events.
Quinta do Lago is the quintessential holiday golf complex, with hotels, restaurants, bars, beaches, sailing, tennis, riding and a host of other sporting activities. The championship course is one of the most admired tests on the European Tour International Schedule. The feature hole, the par three 15th, is played all the way over a huge lake and is undoubtedly one of the toughest par threes on Tour, especially with the wind against.
The course features pines, heather, broom and flowering shrubs. The greens are Bent grass and fairways Bermuda.
