The 2014 Portugal Masters this week will showcase a remarkable parade of European Tour champions as the eighth edition of the hugely popular Tour stop in the Algarve takes place at Oceânico Victoria Golf Course.
No fewer than 74 winners of European Tour events will enjoy the late summer sunshine in Vilamoura from Thursday to Sunday as England’s David Lynn defends the title he won with such aplomb 12 months ago.
Of those 74 champions, 18 have tasted victory in the 2014 European Tour Race to Dubai - including Oliver Wilson, who won the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship last week - as another top class field assembles in search of the crown already worn by Lynn and six other past winners, Steve Webster, Alvaro Quiros, Lee Westwood, Richard Green, Tom Lewis and Shane Lowry.
Four Major Champions also join the throng of holidaymakers in this glorious corner of Portugal, led by three-time Major winner Padraig Harrington, double Masters Champion José María Olazábal and two former Open Champions in Paul Lawrie and Darren Clarke.
Harrington and Olazábal are back in playing roles having been vice captains to Europe’s successful Ryder Cup Captain, Paul McGinley, at Gleneagles a fortnight ago. This week, all three will be competing individually rather than under the European banner.
Irishman Harrington is one of two European Number Ones in the field. He claimed the Harry Vardon Trophy in 2006, two years before Sweden’s Robert Karlsson came along and achieved one of the most prestigious feats on The European Tour.
Adding quality to the field are Francesco Molinari and Nicolas Colsaerts, who along with Lawrie ensured The Ryder Cup came to Scotland in European hands following the ‘Miracle at Medinah’ which preceded ‘Glory at Gleneagles’.
England’s Tommy Fleetwood and Scotland’s Richie Ramsay, who came so close to capturing the Alfred Dunhill Championship at St Andrews last week, will move on to Portugal aiming to seal the victory which just eluded them both over the Old Course.
Portugal will be represented as well this week, with local favourite Ricardo Santos, who is attached to the host club, joined by Hugo Santos, Tiago Cruz, Pedro Figueiredo and RicardoMeloGouveia, who won on the Challenge Tour last week, alongside promising amateurs Joao Carlota and Tomas Silva.
