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Press Release

The European Tour today added the Portugal Masters to its 2021 schedule, with the rearranged tournament now set to take place at Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course, in Vilamoura, from November 4-7.

It will be the 15th consecutive edition of the event which became part of the European Tour in 2007. The €1.5million event was originally due to take place at the end of April but was postponed due to travel difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

It has now been rescheduled for November 4-7, replacing the Volvo China Open which, due to the ongoing effects of the pandemic, will be played as a national event only this year and will not be sanctioned by the European Tour.

South African George Coetzee claimed the title when the Portugal Masters was last played in September 2020, finishing two shots clear of Englishman Laurie Canter to secure his fifth European Tour title.
He joined a list of champions that includes Lee Westwood (2009), Shane Lowry (2012) and Pádraig Harrington (2016).

Press statements from the Executive board of The European Tour Communications and Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course.
Keith Pelley, Chief Executive of the European Tour, said: “We are delighted to confirm the rescheduled Portugal Masters as we continue to reshape the end of our season following yesterday’s announcement of the Mallorca Golf Open.

“Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course has been a popular venue with our players, and it has produced plenty of drama, so we are very pleased to be able to return for the 15th year in a row. We are grateful to the venue for accommodating us at a busy time of the year and to Turismo de Portugal for their long-term support of this tournament.

“Naturally, it is disappointing we are unable to sanction the Volvo China Open again this year, but we have long-standing relationships with Volvo and the China Golf Association, and we look forward to that event returning to our schedule in 2022.”

Stefano Saviotti, Chairman of Dom Pedro Hotels & Golf Collection “The Portugal Masters is an incredibly important showcase of golf in The Algarve and we are delighted to once again welcome some of the world’s finest golfers to the Dom Pedro Victoria Course.

“After a difficult period, the European Tour’s return to our facilities enables us to demonstrate why Vilamoura and Dom Pedro Hotels & Golf Collection has a reputation as one of Europe’s most sought after golf destinations. We look forward to hosting such a prestigious event and crowning the 2021 champion.”

Luis Araújo, President of Turismo de Portugal, said: “The Portugal Masters is of great importance for the tourism sector in Portugal, providing great media exposure of the whole country. It confirms that Portugal continues to be an excellent destination for all golfers, and an international presence in terms of major sporting events. This is a very prestigious competition, and it will be an important moment to showcase the international prestige of our country.”

Dom Pedro Victoria is one of five golf courses within the Dom Pedro Hotels & Golf Collection. For more information visit: www.dompedrogolf.com.

The European Tour Communications Team

The Open de Portugal at Royal Óbidos will return to the European Tour schedule as a dual ranking event on September 17-20, completing a three-event “Iberian Swing” with the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucia Masters and the Portugal Masters.

The tournament at Royal Óbidos Spa & Golf Resort in Óbidos was already confirmed as part of the European Challenge Tour’s Road to Mallorca for the third consecutive year and will now return to the European Tour for the first time since 2017.

Strategy of regional clusters

Following the strategy of playing events on the reshaped 2020 Race to Dubai in regional clusters, the Open de Portugal at Royal Obidos follows the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucia Masters at Real Club Valderrama in Sotogrande, Spain, on September 3-6 and the Portugal Masters at Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course, Vilamoura, on September 10-13.

The 58th edition of the historic event will be promoted by the Portuguese Golf Federation and moves to Royal Óbidos Spa & Golf Resort – a Seve Ballesteros design – for the first time.

First played in 1973, the tournament boasts an impressive list of winners including Sam Torrance in 1982 and 1983, Colin Montgomerie in 1989, Miguel Angel Jiménez in 2004 and Thomas Bjørn in 2010.

Matt Wallace claimed the first of his four European Tour wins the last time the Open de Portugal was part of the Race to Dubai in 2017, while Dimitrios Papadatos and Adrian Meronk claimed their first Challenge Tour victories at the event in 2018 and 2019 respectively.

Ben Cowen, the European Tour’s Deputy Chief Operating Officer, said: “In planning the reshaped 2020 Race to Dubai, part of our measured approach has been to play, where possible, in clusters in one region or territory.

“Adding the Open de Portugal at Royal Óbidos as a dual ranking event creates a three tournament “Iberian Swing” for players on the European Tour, and delivers further good news for Challenge Tour members as the event remains on the Road to Mallorca for a third consecutive season, with an increased prize fund of €500,000.

One of the most interesting golf destinations in Portugal

“We are grateful to our partners at the Portuguese Golf Federation and Royal Óbidos Spa & Golf Resort for working with us to feature this event on both the Challenge Tour and European Tour.”

Miguel Franco de Sousa, President of the Portuguese Golf Federation, said: “We are very happy to secure another dual ranking Open de Portugal which moves to Royal Óbidos for the next three years. This region offers a variety of courses making it a very interesting golf destination in Portugal. We believe that Royal Óbidos, a Seve Ballesteros design, will be a good test of golf for both European and Challenge Tour players.

“This event shows our strong commitment to work closely with the European Tour in order to promote Portugal as one of the best golf destinations in the world, on one end and, on the other, to provide playing opportunities to our playing professionals, especially in this difficult season with very few tournaments being played.”

The European Tour returned this week with the Austrian Open, the first of two dual-ranking events in Austria, followed by the Euram Bank Open. The new six event UK Swing is next before the action moves to Spain and Portugal.

All tournaments in the reshaped 2020 season will be governed by the Tour’s comprehensive Health Strategy, which has been developed by Chief Medical Officer Dr Andrew Murray in consultation with health care specialists Cignpost and advisors in many of the 30 countries in which the European Tour plays.

They will also be underpinned by the European Tour’s new ‘Golf for Good’ initiative which aims to support communities where the European Tour plays, reward true heroes, such as frontline workers, and promote the many health benefits that golf offers.

(Press Release European Tour)