The competition is played at the Castro Marim Golfe & Country Club from the 2nd until the 4th of September.
Castro Marim Golfe & Country Club is hosting the best footgolf players in the world this weekend for the Open de Portugal 2022. From the 2nd until the 4th of September, 170 players from 16 countries will compete in five categories in the fourth edition of the competition organised by the Portuguese FootGolf Federation (FPFG), with the seal of the International Federation (FIFG).
The sport is a mix of football and golf that was created in the Netherlands over ten years ago. It has since become increasingly popular around the globe, with more than 600 players in Portugal and 35,000 worldwide.
Footgolf is played on a golf course and consists in kicking a football into a series of large holes (gholes), the objective being to complete the course using the fewest possible shots. Although it is very similar to golf, it has its own rules.
César Piedade, President of the Portuguese FootGolf Federation, says, “Hosting this competition in Portugal is a great honour, as it is a way of rewarding the dedication of the Portuguese players and another step towards the evolution of sport in our country”.
The favourites in the men’s category are Ben Clarke from the United Kingdom, Josef Nemec from the Czech Republic, and the Argentines Nico Garcia (winner of the 2018 edition) and Matias Perrone. And Portuguese player Pedro Brito, four times consecutive national champion, will be cheered on by the home team. In the seniors’ category, the top player is Dutchman Mickael Wilkes, while in the women’s category, the favourite is the UK’s Claire Williams, who was recently crowned European vice-champion.
