Portugal Open 2006 Kick's Off Europe's Golf Season

The Algarve Open de Portugal (PGA European Tour) will take place from the 25th of March to the 2nd of April 2006 and for the tenth time in the modern era of the event, Le Meridien Penina Golf & Resort will act as Official Venue and Sponsor of the Tournament.

Algarve, Portugal (PRWEB) March 19, 2006 -- The Portugal Open venue is a Sir Henry Cotton-designed par 72 Championship golf course. With 36 holes, the course features waterways and lakes. The course's required handicaps are 28 men/32 women. The Portugal Open is the European Tour's first event of the year on home soil.

The main sponsor of the Tournament is the Algarve Regional Tourism board as well as - Caixa Geral de Depositos. The event will have more than 400 hours of live and tape-delayed worldwide TV coverage. The prize money is $1.5 million.

This year, there are seven players ranked in the top 100 world wide: Paul Broadhurst, Kenneth Ferrie, Raphael Jacquelin, David Lynn, Bradley Dredge, Stephen Dodd and Charl Schwartzel. There are 15 players rated in the European top 50 and 44 players who have won other professional tourneys.

Portugal is one of Europe's top golfing destinations. In the Algarve's mild climate, golf is played year-round between red cliffs and sea views.

There are more than 30 golf courses in the Algarve, many designed by the best know names in golf. Several courses rated in the finest in Europe, with luxury clubhouses, manicured greens and flawless fairways. All courses are open to visitors.

For more information about Portugal, visit www.visitportugal.com.or

www.openportugal.com.

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