European Senior Tour returns to Portugal

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The European Senior Tour will return to Portugal for the first time since 2011 when Vidago Palace hosts the Senior Open de Portugal, from September 12-14.

The luxurious hotel and golf resort, situated north of Porto, reopened in 2010 on the centenary of its inauguration in 1910.

It will now host a Senior Tour event for the first time with the players competing for a prize fund of €225,000. This event was possible following an agreement with Porto and

Northern Portugal Tourism Board (Associação do Turismo do Porto) and reveals the significance of this event for Portugal.

The Senior Open de Portugal last featured on the Senior Tour schedule three years ago, when Welshman Mark Mouland triumphed at Belas Clube de Campo, near Lisbon, with former World Number One Ian Woosnam among those in contention during the final round.

In total, the Senior Tour has visited Portugal eight times, while Senior Tour Qualifying School has been played on the Algarve since 2001.

Senior Tour Managing Director Andy Stubbs said: “The European Senior Tour has an excellent, long-standing relationship with Portugal, established over many years through various regular tournaments as well as our annual Qualifying School, so we are delighted to return with this exciting event.

“This is the first time we have held an event in the northern region of Portugal and we are sure the magnificent Vidago Palace will prove a hugely popular venue with our players and staff, as well as the spectators.”

Vidago Palace’s Golf Director, Alexandre Barroso, said: “Two years ago a small group of hotels, five 18’s Holes Golf Courses and a service company joined together, with the support of Tourism Board of Porto and North, to showcase this region internationally, and this tournament is another major step forward for us.”

The 6,899 yard, par 72 course at Vidago Palace was built in 1936 and originally designed by MacKenzie Ross before undergoing a redesign from golf architecture firm Cameron & Powell in 2010.

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