The Quinta do Lago Junior Open is well on the way to establishing itself as the most important event in the European winter junior golfing calendar after aspiring stars from all over the continent headed to the Portuguese resort to compete in the annual  tournament.

Around 100 of Europe’s most talented youngsters from the ages of eight to 20 gathered at the resort under sunny skies and in temperatures of 18ᵒ degrees to take part in the third edition of the R & A-approved world amateur golf ranking event over the festive period.

Taking place on Quinta do Lago’s acclaimed Laranjal championship course and played in a strokeplay and Stableford formats, the 54-hole tournament attracted its strongest ever field with players from 11 countries including Malaysia, Sweden, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Spain, the UK and the home nation competing.

Heading the line-up were leading Portuguese juniors Sara Gouveia and Calvin Holmes, Sofia Sa – the top ladies amateur in Portugal in 2019 – and Swedish under-18 star Maia Samuelson.

Gouveia underlined her star credentials by beating Samuelson and Sa to take the girls’ under-21 title, while there was a thrilling finish in the boys’ under-21 event with Malaysia’s Justin Chan defeating three-time Portuguese junior champion Holmes in a sudden-death play-off after the pair had finished tied after 54 holes of strokeplay.

Up-and-coming Scottish junior Jamie Mann, Spain’s Kostka Horno and English youngster Charlie Croker – who plays at Epping Golf Club – took top honours in the boys’ under -16, under-14 and under-12  categories.

Portugal’s Francisco Reis and Maria Afonso look to be two players to watch in the future after winning the boys’ and girls’ under-10 titles – which was played with nine holes of Stableford per day over two days – while there was an added treat for all the players with European Tour star Ricardo Gouveia on hand throughout the event to offer expert advice, as well as taking part in a golf challenge with the juniors.

Situated just 15 minutes from Faro airport in Portugal’s famous Algarve region, Quinta do Lago is dedicated to developing young golfers and, as well as staging the Quinta do Lago Junior Open – which will be held again at the end of this year from December 28-30, 2020 – and McGinley Junior Cup, is also home to the Justin Rose Telegraph Junior Golf Championship.

The resort has been at the forefront of Europe’s elite golf, sports and family destinations for nearly five decades and, with a combination of world-class golf and lifestyle facilities, is the perfect choice for a sporting break.

As well as three 18-hole championship golf courses – the North, South and Laranjal – and outstanding practice facilities, guests can stay in shape at the state-of-the-art performance centre The Campus, a world-class sports hub designed for professionals and amateurs alike to keep fit.

Complementing the golf facilities is a choice of 13 first-class bars and restaurants that deliver a range of delicious world cuisines – including the acclaimed Bovino Steakhouse and Dano’s Sports Bar & Restaurant – with accommodation on offer at the resort’s recently-acquired boutique The Magnolia Hotel.

For more information about Quinta do Lago’s junior academies and to book, phone +351 289 390 700 or email academy@quintadolago.com.

ENDS

About Quinta do Lago
Since its inception in 1972, Quinta do Lago has been at the forefront of international golf, hosting eight Portuguese Opens as well as numerous other international tournaments. Home to three world-class golf courses, the resort also boasts a wealth of cutting-edge practice facilities.

• Quinta do Lago North Course – Opening in October 2014, the totally revamped North Course has been redeveloped by renowned American golf architect Beau Welling in close collaboration with 2014 European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley and is set to become one of the new stars of European golf. The new layout has been built to the highest specifications with a €9.6m investment programme and has been redeveloped with the emphasis firmly on precision and strategy. While many modern-day developments tend to focus on length, Welling and McGinley have been keen to design a golfing experience where accuracy and course management are the key factors, and a course that is playable and fun for golfers of all abilities.
• Quinta do Lago South Course – A favourite among European Tour professionals, the South Course calls for accurate drives and precise shots, but rewards players for their efforts with the stunning backdrop of the Ria Formosa Natural Park. Regularly included in Golf World magazine’s ‘Top 100 Golf Courses in Europe’, the par-72 layout has received widespread praise for its strategically-placed hazards and varying difficulty across the 18 holes. Having hosted the Portuguese Open on no fewer than eight occasions, the South Course is regarded as one of Portugal’s premier golfing venues. 
• Laranjal – Designed by Jorge Santana da Silva in the grounds of an orange grove, the par-72 course was named as Portugal’s Best Golf Course 2011 at the Portuguese Travel Awards, and poses serious tests for players of all abilities. Opened in 2008, Laranjal offers a pure golfing experience right next to the Quinta do Lago estate and features fairways sown with Bermuda grass, providing a challenging playing environment in a picture-perfect setting.
• Paul McGinley Academy – Quinta do Lago is home to the only Paul McGinley Academy in the world, founded in October 2011 by Europe’s 2014 Ryder Cup captain. With a strong involvement from McGinley himself, who is a regular visitor to the resort, the academy aims to cultivate and improve golfers’ play by providing them with the tools and techniques used on the professional Tours. The academy focuses especially on younger players, working in collaboration with local schools and is the perfect way to follow in the footsteps of the pros.
• TaylorMade Performance Center – Quinta do Lago’s TaylorMade Performance Centre is the only facility of its kind in Portugal and is located on the resort’s expansive driving range. Opened in May 2013, the centre is operated by trained TaylorMade technicians, offering golfers a custom-fitting experience testing hundreds of club and iron options, ensuring the best combination for every player’s swing. It also has a fully-equipped Tour standard workshop and utilises FlightScope X2 radar technology to measure the entire flight of the ball from impact to landing whilst displaying its 3D trajectory in real time.

Set amongst 2,000 acres of the picturesque Ria Formosa Natural Park and located just 15 minutes from Faro airport, Quinta do Lago offers residents and guests an unparalleled location benefiting from a year-round temperate climate, a variety of lifestyle pursuits and a strong sense of community.

For more information on Quinta do Lago and its facilities, call + 351 289 390 700 or visit www.quintadolago.com