Nicolas Colsaerts scratched his seven year itch with a very popular win at Paris National in the Open de France. The Belgian has taken a well deserved week off for the upcoming Portugal Masters but there are plenty of other big name European Tour players making the trip to Vilamoura.
Many of the players in attendance this week have positive memories of this tournament. None, however, feel quite as strongly about it as Tom Lewis. He has enjoyed great success at the Portugal Masters and may just prove his suitability to this course one again with another Vilamoura victory.
Top Tips
Tom Lewis @ 25/1
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Course Info
Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course at Vilamoura is the long term host of the Portugal Masters. It is always well turned out and is highly capable of hosting world class golfers. However, this is first and foremost a resort course, hosting tourists all other weeks of the year. The event organisers do try to set the 7,191 yard, par 71 course up to play tougher than usual but it does yield a high number of birdies.
The key to scoring heavily enough to contend at Vilamoura is hitting a high number of greens in regulation and then putting to a consistently high standard. Just one poor day on the greens can set a player a long way back although the relative ease of the course has produced some last day fireworks with players shooting crazy low scores to make serious moves through the field.
| Course | Location | Length | Prize Money |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course | Vilamoura, Portugal | 7,191 Yards | €1,500,000 |
Recent Winners
The Portugal Masters is the known for its low scoring. Just look at the margins of victory of the five most recent winners. Andy Sullivan’s nine stroke romp home in 2015 is obviously the most impressive but Padraig Harrington is the only one of the five not to have been comfortable from a fairly long way home. The other thing to note is that multiple different styles of golf are represented by the five players below. Any style of golfer can win at the Victoria Course providing they have a good four days with the putter.
| Year | Winner | To Par | Winning Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Tom Lewis | -22 | 3 Strokes |
| 2017 | Lucas Bjerregaard | -20 | 4 Strokes |
| 2016 | Padraig Harrington | -23 | 1 Stroke |
| 2015 | Andy Sullivan | -23 | 9 Strokes |
| 2014 | Alexander Levy | -18 | 3 Strokes |
Analysis: Putting to be Key Again
Vilamoura is still clinging onto the last embers of summer. The players won’t get treated to the sort of heat you’ll find in July or August but the weather forecast suggests sun and warmth with a moderate breeze. In other words, perfect weather for golfing.
Favourable conditions should allow the organisers to set the Victoria Course up to be firm and fast. Shorter hitters will be brought into the equation as the ball should travel a fair distance both through the air and on the ground but anybody who is struggling with their putter will find their woes enhanced by lightning quick greens.
Lewis to Relish Return to Vilamoura
Tom Lewis will see many familiar, smiling faces when he first gets to Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course. The Englishman is a European Tour stalwart but has spent the last few months over in America where his win in the Korn Ferry Tour Championship saw him awarded a PGA Tour card. His first taste of PGA Tour golf as a fully fledged member has not exactly gone to plan with two missed cuts but he should be given time to find his feet.
Lewis will surely have been looking forward to his European Tour return at the Portugal Masters for some time. Not only does he get to see many of his friends, he has a great affinity for this course. Lewis is the defending champion with last year’s win his second in this tournament. He clearly loves this track and with no new course to learn or playing partners to make small talk with, he can simply concentrate on his game. That’s a major plus and could see him take another step up the official golf world rankings by defending his Portugal Masters title at 25/1 with Coral.
Can Rock Spring a Surprise?
Robert Rock is a man with many strings to his bow. As well as being a European Tour player, he is also a highly regarded coach. That leads to the strange situation where Rock regularly competes in European Tour events where against some of his students. For example, Rock will be giving the bookies’ favourite, Matt Wallace, some advice on the range this week before going out and trying to beat him.
The odds suggest that Rock’s chances of beating Wallace are relatively slim. He is available at 100/1 with BetVictor but his form at Vilamoura and quality putting stats (he’s 23rd on the European Tour for strokes gained putting) suggest he could do something unexpected. He clearly enjoys this event as he plays it every year and has the added motivation of trying to finish inside the top 100 of the Race to Dubai. A win for Rock is unlikely but he is well worth an outside each way bet.
Final Verdict: Tom Lewis to Win
Tom Lewis does have a certain amount of added pressure on his shoulders as the defending Portugal Masters champion. He does have great memories of this tournament though and will turn up with his chest puffed out despite missing his last two cuts in America. The competition is fierce but he has what it takes to win this tournament for a third time at 25/1 with Coral.