Michael Hoey was one of the names written on the list of winners of the Madeira Open with a result (-10) that shows the difficulties of the 18 holes designed by Severiano Ballesteros in Porto Santo. A victory for a player who has already won four Challenger Tour tournaments and added the second European Tour triumph after the Portugal Open (2009). He is now the 54th European Tour ranking.
However, yesterday was distinct by the remarkable performance of Simon Warkefield, who did nine birdies and an eagle, totalling 63 strokes, it was the best round ever in Porto Santo Golf course. The Englishman made 19 puts in the 18 holes, which is remarkable and an indicator at the level of the best in the world, plus three times he was in the bunker and a single ball was thrown off the fairways.
Filipe Lima, finished the day with 68 strokes, had a great performance at the 4 rounds, totalling 6 under, which earned the fourth position, the best classification ever by a Portuguese. With this performance, the Portuguese ascended to the seventh position of the Challenger Tour and guarantees a 'wild cart' for a European Tour tournament.
Very well, too, was Ricardo Santos, although a less successful round with 73 strokes, closed this participation in the TOP 10 that allowed him to ascend to the fifteenth position of the Challenger Tour and an invitation to the Wales tournament.
The Madeira Open allowed Chris Gane and Jamie Elson, with a -8 strokes, to climb to the top of the Challenger Tour, with Italian Frederico Colombo consolidating the fourth position, confirming the Madeiran tournament as a true “masters” of the second European division of professional golf, which may not be of interest to the Madeira strategy and the projects of the Santo da Serra Golf Club, which intend to keep the tournament in the main division, which will have to increase the value of prize money.
Reference to the tribute to Severiano Ballesteros, which caused the players to immobilize for a minute still in the course of the last round and the authorities to unveil a plaque to recall the Spaniard's passage around the island, as well as the words of praise of David Williams - Director of the tournament - to the work of the maintenance team, with Francisco Taboada, the president of Porto Santo Golf, not to forget the students of the Secondary School and other volunteers who collaborated with the organization.
Card
278
Michael Honey has made 18 birdies at the four rounds - he has only did not made one stroke in the holes 1-4-9-12-13-15 and 16 - with a highlight for hole three (three birdies). In 278 strokes, only 8 were above the par of the hole, the only bogeys of his card.
Top Holes
1.311 + 36
There were 1,311 birdies achieved by professionals present. And most of them (173) were achieved in hole 3, a par-5 where thirteen of the 36 eagles were obtained. It was in hole 13 where there are more bogeys (141) and doubles (33).
Birdies
19
The Scottish Lloyd Saltman was the king of the birdies, registered on his card 19. The problem is that afterwards he made many mistakes. The Italian Frederico Colombo and the Englishmen Jame Elson and Simon Warkefield made 17 birdies and an eagle.
Prize Money
700,000
With the second lowest prize money of the European Tour, the Porto Sano tournament was worth 116 thousand euros for the winner. Filipe Lima took home 29 thousand and Ricardo Santos another 11 thousand euros. The worst runner was entitled to a thousand euros.
