The Tournaments
Quinta do Lago has hosted the Portuguese Open Championship eight times in addition to hundreds of national and international prestigious tournaments, and pioneered several events during the most difficult golfing period in Portugal, the years following the revolution of April 1974.
Quinta do Lago already plays a part in Portugal’s recent golfing history as it was here that some of the historical editions of the Portuguese Open took place, in a post-revolution period where there was almost nothing around, but which saw the aspirations of half a dozen “fighters” fulfilled - they got the course, the money, good players and the success that many thought was impossible to achieve. It is to these “fighters”, at that time associated to Quinta do Lago and the Federation, to whom the dues are owed for the continuity of the Open and the fact that today, it is one of the oldest and prestigious tournaments of the European Tour.
The first edition of the Portuguese Open took place in 1953 in Estoril, where it ran uninterrupted until 1972. 1973 saw the creation of the European Tour and the European Circuit. Quinta do Lago is part of the third phase of the Open’s history, after Estoril and Penina, and perhaps the most important of the tournament, because it was due to the commitment of some (just a few) of those associated to the Portuguese Golf Federation and Quinta do Lago’s board, that ensured the continuity of the tournament on the European Circuit and its growth, during a time of great political and financial crisis.
During the eight editions held at Quinta do Lago, players attended who were for many years symbols of the world golfing scene and many youngsters who are currently “stars” in the ranking of the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St.Andrews. Among the professionals who have been to Quinta do Lago, many of whom have played in several editions of the Ryder Cup, among them, we would like to mention, Severiano Ballesteros, Sandy Lyle, Ian Woosnam, Bernard Langer, Sam Torrance, Bernard Gallacher, Christy O’Connor Jr., Ronan Rafferty, Gordon Brand Jr., Vijay Singh, Retief Goosen, Mark McNulty, Tony Johnstone, Eduardo Romero, Peter Baker, Colin Montgomerie, etc.
From the new generation, the list of those who played at Quinta do Lago at an early age is much more extensive and includes some of the professionals from the European team in the last Ryder Cup held in Valhalla opposite the USA, such as Padraig Harrington, Henrik Stenson, Justin Rose or Ian Poulter or even David Howell, Nick Dougherty, Trevor Immelman, Paul McGinley, Steve Webster, Paul Lawrie, etc.
Further to the eight Portuguese Open Championships, Quinta do Lago has been the venue for many other prestigious tournaments, such as the World Senior Golf Championship, the first edition of the BMW Golf Cup World Final, numerous charity tournaments or those in support of local schools, Press tournaments and above all, each year, outstanding private national and international tournaments, with the participation of world renowned celebrities associated to different fields, many of whom have come to Portugal for the sole purpose of playing at Quinta do Lago. Since the first great tournament, the 1976 Open, Quinta do Lago developed its own unique system in organizing major competitions, while at the same time becoming a “Training School” in golf and management, which over the years has generously contributed to the Algarve’s development, by lending its expertise to other courses in the area.
During the Opens hosted here, Quinta do Lago always made available a Press Room that was a pioneer in Portugal, creating a trained and specialized team that over the following years would be “borrowed” by other Open organizations. At that time, during the 80s and 90s, a restricted number of specialized foreign journalists, the majority British, accompanied the “tour” tournaments. Upon their arrival in Portugal, they were always surprised at the efficiency, space, service and above all, communications.
It was a period when there were no laptops, but everyone had a modern machine on which to type their articles, and personal assistance in the Room. All transmissions were by telephone, fax or telex. Communication networks were not very reliable though, and some breakdowns occurred.
Standing by at all times in the Press Room in case of such a breakdown was a member from the Post Office and Communications company. The Room was always managed by two members of the Quinta do Lago staff, who attended every Open Championship and the whole team gave a warm welcome to the Portuguese and foreign journalists. The Press Room, which during the first editions worked out of tents and later from a spacious room next to the Vilar do Golf reception, was also used in other events following the Portuguese Open such as the first BMW Golf Cup World Final and the first (and only to date) World Boxing Championship held in Portugal, at Quinta do Lago, which boasted, among its spectators, one of the most renowned residents, the Brazilian race car driver, Ayrton Senna da Silva.
Quinta do Lago, has been to date, the only course in Portugal to receive the prestigious TPC (Tournament Players Championship) designation, which brings an increase in prize money and for the winner, a five-year exemption on the tour. It left Portugal for Germany, where it remains. “At the time, the Executive Director of the Tour, Ken Scholfield, offered the TPC to Portugal, and we accepted”, said António Carmona Santos, former head of Quinta do Lago and the organization for the Portuguese Open.
The TPC remained in Portugal for two years, but then there was no interest in keeping the prestigious designation and Germany took advantage… to date. Another innovation by Quinta do Lago was the creation of the Tent Village, a commercial area open to both tournament sponsors and companies, who could present their products or services during the tournament week.
Golf was born in Quinta do Lago in 1974, with the inauguration of the A+B courses, designed by William Mitchell and Joseph Lee. The inauguration of the course, on the 1st November 1974, was a ceremony of pomp and circumstance for the period. It was presided over by the top commander of the revolution, Lieutenant Coronel Otelo Saraiva de Carvalho, who arrived accompanied by several uniformed and armed officers who mingled enthusiastically with high society for a few hours. Otelo even enjoyed an introduction to golf at the driving range.
The 1st Open took place in 1976, at a time when the Quinta do Lago course, Portugal’s most recent, emerged as the only opportunity to keep the Open Championship on the European calendar, and at a time when Quinta do Lago was being overseen by the State (between 1975 and 1981).
“This Open Championship has been incredible for us, as there were no infrastructures at all. But it was a tremendous success for both the players and the PGA who congratulated us”, said Mário Barruncho, Quinta do Lago’s golf director from February 1974 to January 2004.
For the 1976 Open Championship everything had to be improvised, as there was no club house or any facilities for players, Press or guests. Military tents were installed for the different activities. The Open Championship’s first phase (two rounds) took place at Quinta do Lago and Vale do Lobo, with two cuts and the final phase at Quinta do Lago.
The prize money, collected as a result of the great effort and commitment of the then Director-General of Tourism, was paid in cash (foreign currency). As at that time there were numerous restrictions in place for taking money abroad, there are curious stories about the strategies used by players to take their prize home.
The great winner of the 1976 Open Championship was the Spaniard Salvador Balbuena, who passed away some time later due to heart problems. In 1983, Quinta do Lago launched another pioneering event, which was to be repeated over the following years: after the Tróia Open Championship, a dozen of the Open’s best professionals have been contacted and the first Quinta do Lago Trophy was held, with a view to promoting the resort and presenting the course for the 1984 Open Championship. The first winner of the Quinta do Lago Trophy was Michael King.
Yet another innovation in Portugal. Upon accepting the 1984 Open Championship, Quinta do Lago insisted it was to be held there for another two years. It was the first time in the management of the European Tour (which began in 1973) that a course accepted to host the Open Championship for three years.
Over the following years, the Quinta do Lago Trophy remained an event on the Tuesday prior to the Pro-Am, as a means of promoting the quality of the course to the professionals, while at the same time providing them with an additional monetary prize. It was a great success.
With the completion of the support facilities, from 1984 Quinta do Lago became a high quality golf “sanctuary” and gained a special place among tour players and the European Tour itself. Some years later it became a course included in the PGA itself, along with other luxury courses in Europe.
“Quinta do Lago has excellent courses, to the standards necessary to host international tournaments and the organization was impeccable. I can even venture to say that the Algarve has the best greens in the world”, said Mark Mc-Nulty, of Zimbabwe, the winner of the 30th Open Championship, words repeated by other professionals over subsequent years.
Curiously, over the years, hundreds of professionals have been to Quinta do Lago. But only one received “appearance money”, in 1985.
- The 22nd Portuguese Open Championship, 1976: The tournament had two cuts’. After two rounds 81 players remained in play and at the end of the third day another 30 were eliminated. Among the 99 that failed to make the cuts, there were, among others, Howard Clark, Bernhard Langer and Christy O’Connor Jr. The main ‘star’ was the young Spaniard Severiano Ballesteros, but the triumph belonged to his fellow countryman Salvador Balbuena with 283 (69-68-74-72) and a prize of 2250 Pounds Sterling. Sam Torrance was second four shots behind and Ballesteros took 5th place with 289. Other names, some of whom are now veterans or retired, that attended this first Quinta do Lago edition include - José Maria Canizares, Des Smyth, Mark James, Nick Job, David Chillas and Tommy Horton, the latter three still remain in the Senior Tour.
- The 28th Portuguese Open Championships, 1984. 66 players made the cut and among those eliminated were Gordon Brand Jr and Santiago Luna. The winner was Tony Johnstone, from Zimbabwe, with 274 (70-69-67-68) and a prize of 9503 Pounds Sterling. He secured victory with three vantage shots over Englishman Michael King and the next places were won by accredited players or those who over the following years would become renowned on the tour, such as David Frost, Sam Torrance, José Maria Canizares, Mark James, Ronan Rafferty, Howard Clark, Paul Way, José Rivero, Constantino Rocca, Michael Mclean, Christy O’Connor Jr., among many others.
- 29th Portuguese Open Championship, 1985: The field had 116 players. 72 competitors made the cut. Triumph belonged to Englishman Warren Humphreys with 279 (69-68-71-71) and a prize of 10.660 Pounds Sterling. This was Humphrey’s only victory on the tour. A few years later he left the competition to become a television commentator. He won the Open Championship with a vantage shot over South African, Hugo Baiocchi. Seve Ballesteros, who was the main “star” of the tournament, reached 6th place with 282 (69-72-68-73). Further behind were names such as David Feherty, Christy O’Connor Jr., Ronan Rafferty, Constantino Rocca, Santiago Luna, among others.
- 30th Portuguese Open Championship, 1986: The tournament had 127 players, 72 of which made the cut. Victory to Mark McNulty with 270 (66-69-69-66), the best ever result in the Quinta do Lago Open Championships with 18 below par and 16.660 Pounds Sterling in prize money. He won with four vantage shots over Englishman Ian Mosey. This edition saw the debut at Quinta do Lago of Welshman Sandy Lyle, who reached 5th place with 277, while Warren Humphreys, who was defending the title, finished 62nd with 290.
- 32nd Portuguese Open Championship, 1988: The field had 144 players with 65 making the cut. Among those eliminated after the second round was Argentinean Eduardo Romero, making his debut at Quinta do Lago. The winner was Australian Mike Harwood, who won his first triumph after three seasons in Europe. Victory came after an unbeatable round, with an extraordinary shot from the bunker to the birdie on hole 10 followed by two birdies. It finished with 280 (73-70-68-69), 8 under par, with a prize of 33.330 Pounds. He won with a vantage shot over Irishman Eammon Darcy and two over Peter Baker and Des Smyth. In this Open Championship, Scotsman Colin Montgomerie made his debut at Quinta do Lago, finishing in 18th place with 288. Another newcomer to the course was Sweden Jesper Parnevik (53rd with 294). Scotsman Bernard Gallacher, later European ‘captain’ in the Ryder Cup, finished 45th place with 292.
- 33rd Portuguese Open Championship-TPC, 1989: For this tournament the prize rose to 278.668 Pounds Sterling, the largest ever in Portugal. Scotsman Colin Montgomerie won his first victory at Quinta do Lago on the tour, thanks to a last devilish round with 63 shots (9 under), a score that remains a record on the course. He won with 264 (67-65-69-63) and a prize of 45.825 Pounds. Monty won 11 shots ahead of the runner-up, American Mike Smith. This result remains as one of the records of the tour with the largest advantage between first and second. Two currently world renowned names made their debut at this Open Championship at Quinta do Lago: Vijay Singh, from the Fiji Islands (who finished with 285) and Swede Robert Karlsson (292).
- 34th Portuguese Open Championship-TPC, 1990: English professional, Michael McLean still remembers Quinta do Lago today, as it was when he won his only victory on the tour. After nine years on the circuit, he won the TPC with 274 (69-69-65-71), 14 under par and a prize of 45.825 Pounds (the largest of his career). He won with a slight margin over a group of ‘stars’ who followed, such as Gordon Brand Jr. and Mike Harwood (275), Mark James and Paul Broadhurst (276). Montgomerie finished with 280 and Vijay Singh with 285 shots.
- 45th Portuguese Open Championship, 2001: This Open was marked by an extraordinary round by an Irishman, then only 30 years of age, who had been setting himself apart over the past four seasons and who today is a world ‘star’ – Padraig Harrington. He took the lead during the first two days, in the third round he shared first place with Sven Struver, Stephen Scahill, Simon Dyson and David Gilford, all with 205 (11 under par), but in the last round, Welshman Phillip Price took everyone by surprise and came from behind to reach the best result of the day with 273 (72-67-70-64), 15 under par, and a cheque for 166.660 Euros. Harrington and the German Struver took second place with 275. There were numerous players in this Open Championship who are well positioned in the rankings today and who made their debuts at Quinta do Lago, such as Alexander Cejka, Niclas Fasth, David Howell, Nick Dougherty, Anders Hansen, Trevor Immelman, Patrik Sjoland, Markus Brier, Andrew Coltart, Joakin Haeggman, Hennie Otto, Henrik Stenson, Grégory Havret, Soren Kjeldsen, Paul McGinley, John Bickerton, Jarmo Sandelin, Stewe Webster, Ian Woosnam, Bradley Dredge, Justin Rose, Ian Poulter, among others. It was also the first time that Quinta do Lago’s tournament field had 156 players, 82 of whom made the cut. Among those eliminated were accredited names such as Christopher Hannell, Peter Hanson, Colin Montgomerie, Stephen Dodd, Peter Baker, Paul Lawrie, among many others.
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