IN THE interests of creating a bigger and better inaugural tournament, the organisers of the Academy Resident’s Cup, due to be played on January 29 on Vila Sol’s Championship Course, have decided to postpone the event until February, with a new date to be announced shortly.
There has been exceptional interest in the event and, ever more excitingly, the PGA and the Portuguese Golf Federation have both elected to back the tournament. Therefore, captains and organisers have decided to move the date so that a shotgun start will be possible, making it a proper social event.
In another development, the event will now be called the ‘Algarve Cup’ and, rather than having a Portugal and UK team, two teams will be put together regardless of nationality, thereby opening it up to all the talented players in the Algarve.
John Hawker from Golf for Greys (the Algarve golfing association for the over 50s), who will be captaining one of the teams, is clearly excited about the potential of the tournament, commenting: “Our long term aim is to make this the second biggest sporting event of the year, after the Portuguese Open.”
The standard of golfers taking part is expected to be extremely high and organisers are also hoping to attract many professionals, including a few famous Portuguese names.
Although it is likely to be a fiercely fought tournament, there will also be room for a little fun. Júlio Mendes of the Portuguese Golf Federation, who will be captaining the second of the two teams, will be drawing up a fun, true or false questionnaire based on the rules and etiquette of golf, with a prize for the golfer with the most correct answers.
The event is being organised by The Academy Golfers Club in Vilamoura and if you would like to take part, you are advised to pre-register as soon as possible by calling the Academy on 289 321 461. The new date and full details of the tournament will be printed in The Resident as soon as they become available.
