PORTUGAL MASTERS years later. The course presents a worthy PGA EUROPEAN TOUR – challenge and has proved increasingly popular with competitors and spectators OCEANICO VILAMOURA alike: Kaymer will be hoping to win his first European title of the season. ‘VICTORIA’ GOLF COURSE, Having shot a course record of 61 (in ALGARVE. 2007) and with two top ten finishes, his hopes of sharing a substantial amount of th th October 10 – 13 2013 the two million euro prize purse will At a Press Conference held last week at doubtless be high, but he will inevitably Lisbon’s ‘Tivoli Hotel ‘– ‘Skybar’ - on face fierce competition. Avenida Liberdade, it was confirmed that Germany’s Ryder Cup star Martin Kaymer would be taking part in the 2013 Portugal Masters, adding his name to an already impressive list of players. (Keen golfers will Returning to Portugal’s probably Algarve now for the remember that it was seventh successive year, Kaymer’s the Event is played at the point in Arnold Palmer Company- the singles on the designed course at final day of Vilamoura – Oceanico ‘ the 2012 Victoria’ Ryder Cup which ensured Europe would retain the trophy). ‘Victoria was previewed in 2000, at the opening of the appropriately-named ‘Millennium’ course, and opened two Arnold Palmer on the 13th green, at the Official ‘ Opening of ‘Victoria’, Vilamoura. also features Rafa Cabrera-Bello and Pablo Larrazábal. Another Ryder Cup star – Francesco Molinari – returns to take part in an event in which he has twice finished runner-up. For Portugal, the challenge is again led by local hero (and Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year - 2012), Ricardo Santos, for whom this is his home course and whose loyal supporters are both friends and family, since he lives nearby. Other national players include Ricardo’s brother, Hugo Santos, together with Antonio Rosado, José Filipe Lima, Tiago Cruz and Pedro Figueiredo – the latter having turned professional this summer, following a sparkling amateur career. Promoted by the PGA European Tour and Ireland’s Shane Lowry will look to PGA Portugal, leading host Sponsors are successfully defend his 2012 title Turismo de Portugal, together with host venue, Oceanico ‘Victoria’, and joined this year by one of the largest and most popular of Portugal’s beer producers, UNICER, who have signed a three year Official Sponsorship agreement. It is worth noting that Advance Tickets for the Portugal Masters are available on line, offering substantial savings on gate prices. Contact: www.europeantourtickets.com while a strong Spanish contingent, together with the ever popular and colourful figure of Miguel Angel Jiménez, led by Alvaro Quiros (champion in 2008), Text: Sue Farmer – IAGTO/IGTWA Photos: Geoffrey Farmer - IAGTO .