Oliver Fisher will relive his most memorable moment in golf when he competes in this week’s Portugal Masters at the ever-popular Dom Pedro Victoria – the course where he made Tour history just four years ago.
In 2018, the now 34-year-old became the first player in the 46 years of the DP World Tour to shoot a sub-60 score when he carded an eagle and 10 birdies on his way to a magical round of 59. It was the first time in nearly 700,000 rounds of golf on the DP World Tour that the feat had been achieved.
The Portugal Masters is returning to the Arnold Palmer-designed Victoria course this week and the course record-holder was understandably in good spirits as he prepares to tackle a layout that holds a special place in his heart.
Fisher said: “It’s always great to come back to Portugal. Out here at Dom Pedro Victoria it’s always a great venue that brings back good memories for me. It’s nice to come back, the way that the staff look after us for the week is always special.
“Everyone feels relaxed here. The course gives you plenty of opportunities and it’s a fun week.
“As you come round the back seven or eight holes it gives you plenty of water, plenty of drama and there’s opportunities for eagles.
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“It’s always great to come back to somewhere where you’ve got some good memories. I had previous good rounds before that round here [59 in 2018]. The 59 is definitely the standout round for me.”
Fisher will be joined in the field by 2022 Tour winners Thorbjorn Olesen, Victor Perez, Oliver Wilson, Robert MacIntyre and last week’s Mallorca Golf Open winner, Yannik Paul, as the season builds towards an exciting climax with world number one Rory McIlroy still leading the DP World Tour Rankings.
After his maiden victory in Mallorca last week, DP World Tour rookie Paul is in relaxed mood ahead of this week’s event and is looking forward to playing in the Algarve event he has been told is one of the best on the calendar by his fellow pros.
The German said: “I’ve heard a lot of amazing things about Vilamoura, a lot of other players said this is one of the best weeks of the year. The golf course is amazing but also off the course you have the port close by and a lot of great restaurants. My girlfriend is here this week – she was here last week as well – she was also really excited to come to Portugal, so we are looking forward to a great week.
“It’s my seventh week in a row [on tour] so I’ve played a lot of golf recently. I always enjoy when my girlfriend is here and we do some exploring outside of golf. We’re actually staying a couple of days longer after the tournament close to Lisbon to check out some beach towns near as we’ve heard some great things about Portugal, so we’re excited for that.”
Fisher will be teeing off at 9.10am on Thursday (October 27) alongside Portugal’s Ricardo Santos and Italian Lorenzo Gagli while Paul will head out at 8.40am alongside former Ryder Cup star Edoardo Molinari and four-time DP World Tour winner Matt Wallace.
The trio of Ryder Cup hopefuls, MacIntyre, Perez and Nicolai Hojgaard, have also been grouped together and will head out at 8.30am.
To add to the Victoria course, there are another four layouts in and around the town of Vilamoura that make up the Dom Pedro Hotels & Golf Collection, with Pinhal, Laguna, Millennium and Frank Pennink’s iconic Old course – one of the most established designs in Portugal – adding to an impressive roster of layouts. In September, Dom Pedro’s Laguna course was reopened to much acclaim following a requalification process that was based on three key pillars: sustainability, biodiversity and improving the quality of the course.
Long considered one of the most popular European hubs for travelling golfers, Vilamoura’s vibrant nightlife and bars are complemented by world-class golf with Dom Pedro’s five courses offering a different test for all levels of player. Three hotel properties, Dom Pedro Vilamoura, Dom Pedro Marina and Dom Pedro Portobelo serve as ideal bases for a golf break.
For more information on the Portugal Masters and how to purchase tickets, or to find out more on Dom Pedro Hotels & Collection, please email media@chiefsdigitalmedia.com
For the full 2022 Portugal Masters opening round tee times, click here.
