The luxurious hotel and golf resort Vidago Palace, situated north of Porto, will now host a Senior Tour event for the first time following an agreement with Porto and the Northern Portugal Tourism Board , with the field competing for a prize fund of €225,000.
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 the Senior Tour Qualifying School has been played on the Algarve since 2001. Vidago Palace Hotel expects around 72 players for the competition from September 12th until September 14th.
Andy Stubbs, Managing Director of the European Senior Tour, 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.”
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. A key feature of the course is the use throughout of the local pink granite stone walling, built using redundant and disused field walls from the area which were salvaged for the project. It further features include tees and greens high, strategic location of the bunkers and greens that require a perfect view to assessing their depression. As a result the course delights and challenges the most experienced golfers.
Famous through the famed mineral water of Vidago, Vidago Palace Hotel was and is a favourite destination for the European elite. Built in 1910, at the end of “Belle Époque”, after extensive renovations, it still shines with its grand staircase, high ceilings and 70 luxurious rooms and suites. The décor pays subtle homage to traditional Portuguese crafts as well as nature with breathtaking views over the fantastic landscape.
The intimate rooms and suites feature details such as parquet flooring, hand-loomed rugs, traditional cement tiles and custom-made furniture which blend contemporary elements with traditional appeal. Prized for the healthy virtues of its mineral water, Vidago Palace Hotel offers a stunning and modern thermal spa. Constructed in the extension of the hotel, the Spa has an ultramodern structure with clean lines, which contrasts with the classic architecture of the hotel. Bright colors, contemporary facilities and an extensive range of treatments welcome each guest. The focus is based on detox-treatments and relax- and beauty rituals. The applications in the Leading Spa are based on the products of the luxury brands “Clarins” and “Aromatherapy”.
