Tommy Fleetwood has not played the Portugal Masters since 2016 but arrived at Vilamoura’s Victoria Golf course as part of his US Open preparations. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

TOMMY Fleetwood is teeing it up at the Portugal Masters, on the Algarve, for the first time since 2016.

And the Ryder Cup star is excited to be back at a regular European Tour event after the four-month hiatus due to coronavirus.

Fleetwood played every edition of this event between 2012 and 2016. And the World No. 16 is looking to become the third Englishman in succession to lift the trophy at Dom Pedro Victoria Golf course, come Sunday.

A win for the Lancashire ace on the Algarve would see him follow compatriots Tom Lewis and last year’s winner Steven Brown, before heading to next week’s US Open, at Winged Foot.

Fleetwood said: “It’s great coming back and seeing everybody that you have played with for a long, long time.

“The European Tour definitely, for us that have grown up on the Tour, it has a beautiful atmosphere to it.

“Obviously, we are in a bubble right now. But as soon as you come back it has a feel about it that is really, really nice.

“The Portugal Masters was an ideal opportunity to get some competitive golf in and come back on the European Tour.

“I have never had a run at the tournament. But I have always enjoyed coming here.

“I think the hotel is great. The course is different this year – there is a bit of rough up – so it is a tougher test.

“But I just think it was the perfect scenario for me,” added Tommy, who has five European Tour wins to his name since turning pro in 2010.

“I haven’t played particularly great for a few weeks and I have gone back and worked on a few things,” Fleetwood admitted.

“I have always preferred getting to Majors early. But this year clearly things are very different and things change and get thrown out the window.

“I have never ever been to a tournament where I haven’t wanted to win and this week is exactly that.

“I want to go out this week and compete absolutely. But I think you gain from certain shots you hit, and you only figure those things out by playing competitively.”

Steven Brown rescued his European Tour card by winning his last event of 2019 on the Algarve at the Portugal Masters in Vilamoura. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

Brown feels a lot calmer for defence

WENTWORTH’S Brown is also in the Algarve field this week alongside fellow former winners Lucas Bjerregaard, from Denmark, Frenchman Alex Levy and Spain’s Alvaro Quiros.

Brown could not have been under more pressure then, requiring at least a fifth-place finish to secure his card, and ultimately taking the title in 2019.

The Surrey pro enters the week in a much more relaxed mindset after capturing his maiden European Tour title in Vilamoura, last season.

Brown said: “It’s nice to be back and see my picture up on the wall with the other previous champions.

“This season is very different, with different feelings from last year when I was in a tough spot trying to keep my card.

“I feel a lot more chilled than last time. Hopefully I can produce the same sort of stuff,” said Brown, who had the same coach as a junior as Ross Fisher at Wentworth.

“I did a lot of work in the off-season and then the second off-season during lockdown. It’s starting to pay-off.

“My putting has been up and down, which is why my results have been the same. But my ball-striking is consistent.

“I had a week off before The Belfry. I’m always a bit rusty the first week, but played really well in tough conditions last week at Valderrama.

“I feel like I’m in a good spot coming here.”

American John Catlin, wants to add a second European Tour to his win at Valderrama last week as quickly as possible after arriving on the Algarve. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

Latest winner Catlin wants more victories

THE newest European Tour winner is also teeing it up in the 14th edition of the Portugal Masters.

American John Catlin is already aiming to add to the title he won last week, at the Estrella Damm NA Andalucia Masters, at a very tough Valderrama.

“Playing with some of the best players, like Martin Kaymer, a former World No. 1, all the way down the stretch to the last hole. Being able to hold him off is something I’ll always remember.

Catlin, who denied Martin Kaymer his first win in six years, said: “I’ve won many times as a pro. But winning that one is the biggest win for me for sure.

“My goal now is multiple wins. We’re always trying to win. Once you win one, you want to win two.

“It was the same for me on the Asian Tour. I won one and I wanted to win two. then I won two and I wanted to win three.

“I guess you become a little bit greedy in a sense. That’s my next goal, to win again.”

Bjerregaard: ‘Life on European Tour a lot different now’

BJERREGAARD was the winner three years ago. He said: “I think this is the first time since I’ve been on Tour that my wife isn’t here with me.

“So it’s a bit strange, but I’ve always enjoyed coming here. I got the win in 2017 and had a couple of decent results.

“Normally there is not a lot of rough around here, which suits me. That’s changed a bit this year.

“That will be fun. It will be a different course to what we have seen the last few years.

“The wind is up today. If it stays like that I think we’ll see some different scores than we are used to.

“It’s just a great vibe here. The weather is nice, great food. It’s not a bad place at all to come,” said the winner of the Danish Amateur title in 2007 and 2008, who was crowned European Amateur Champion in 2010.

Iberian Swing to continue Golf For Good charity work

THIS week is the second of three tournaments in the “Iberian Swing” as the European Tour continues the practice of grouping tournaments in regional clusters where possible.

It follows two dual-ranking events in Austria and the six-event “UK Swing” since the resumption of the 2020 Race to Dubai.

This week also sees the continuation of the European Tour’s Golf For Good initiative, on the Algarve.

Vilamoura World and the European Tour have teamed up to donate €200 for every birdie and €500 for every eagle scored on the par five 17^th at Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course.

The proceeds will be split between two local charities – Existir and APEXA – and EDGA (European Disabled Golf Association).

•For live scores from the Portugal Masters click here.

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Thomas Bjorn will take the Ryder Cup his team won in Paris two years ago and walk 130 miles from Wentworth to Celtic Manor in Wales, next week. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

THOMAS Bjørn is set for one of the biggest challenges of his career when he embarks on a four-day 130-mile charity walk from Wentworth to Wales.

The walk will raise funds for Unicef UK’s Save Generation COVID appeal and the Golf Foundation as part of the European Tour’s Golf for Good initiative.

Inspired by the fundraising exploits of Sir Tom Moore during the COVID-19 lockdown, Bjørn will carry the Ryder Cup from the European Tour HQ at Wentworth, in Surrey, to Newport’s Celtic Manor.

The 2010 Ryder Cup venue is set to host two consecutive European Tour events starting next week, as part of the new UK Swing.

The 49-year-old Dane will set off from Wentworth on Thursday, August 13 – the first day of The Celtic Classic.

The captain of Europe’s winning Ryder Cup team two years ago plans to arrive at Celtic Manor on the final day of the tournament on Sunday.

He will then compete in the second tournament – the ISPS Handa Wales Open, on the Twenty Ten Course – where Europe memorably defeated the United States 14½-13½ 10 years ago.

Bjørn was one of Colin Montgomerie’s vice-captains in 2010, and the 15-time European Tour winner went on to lead Europe in a record Ryder Cup victory at Le Golf National in Paris, with the USA beaten 17½-10½, the largest winning margin in the event’s 92-year history.

He will now take on another formidable challenge in his Wentworth2Wales walk, which will raise money for Unicef UK and the Golf Foundation.

Both causes have special significance for Bjørn, who also intends to raise awareness of the health and wellness benefits golf can offer.

•Donations can be made by clicking here.

Thomas Bjørn will walk 30 miles a day during his four day walk from Wentworth to Celtic Manor – after being inspired by NHS fundraiser Sir Tom Moore. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

Captain Tom Moore was inspiration

BJØRN explained how the idea of his Wentworth to Wales charity walk came about.

He said: “During lockdown I had started going on some long walks to regain a bit of fitness, and also because I find it relieves a lot of mental stress for me.

“It was around the same time that Captain Tom – now Sir Tom Moore – was doing his incredible walk for the NHS, and someone called me ‘Ryder Cup Captain Tom’.

“We had a bit of a laugh about it. But the more I looked at Sir Tom, the more I was genuinely inspired by what he was doing. So we came up with the idea of doing a fundraising walk of our own.

“We looked at potential routes and Wentworth to Wales made a lot of sense, although I have to admit I didn’t realise it was over 200km.

“It’s going to be very tough to do it in four days. But I suppose the whole point of doing it is that it’s not meant to be easy.

“If I am going to ask people to donate their hard-earned cash then I need to earn that donation.

“For me, walking between 10-12 hours a day for four consecutive days will push me to the limit.

“As a Dane, who has lived most of my adult life in the UK, I wanted to give something back both globally and locally.

“I feel that UNICEF’s Save Generation COVID appeal and the Golf Foundation are a perfect fit for that.

“I was reading some information from UNICEF recently and they say that coronavirus is the biggest global crisis for children since World War Two.

“And that without urgent action, the coronavirus threatens to reverse 10 years of progress on reducing the number of children dying from preventable causes.

“Like so many fundraising ideas, this all started as a throwaway comment which quickly grew into something which is now very real – and, to be honest, quite scary,” smiled Bjørn.

“And being able to raise some funds to help the game of golf continue to thrive as part of the European Tour’s UK Swing and through the Golf Foundation is something that means a lot from a personal point of view.

“Obviously I want to raise as much as possible. But no matter how much it is, hopefully it can raise awareness and help kids around the world.”

Support from sponsors to help good causes

BJØRN has already received significant support from BMW, Hilton Hotels, Wentworth Club and LetsGetChecked. who have provided COVID-19 testing resources for the European Tour.

The European Tour’s Golf for Good initiative aims to give back in three key areas:–
•Supporting the Communities where the European Tour plays
▪ Rewarding the true heroes, such as the front line workers
▪ Promoting the many health benefits that golf offers.

The Golf for Good initiative was launched at the start of the European Tour’s new UK Swing.

A total of £500,000 from the European Tour is being distributed equally between local charities at each tournament venue, plus charities chosen by the leading 10 players in a mini-Order of Merit, running across all six tournaments. which began at the British Masters at Close House last month.

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Florida-based Englishman Sam Horsfield’s maiden win came in the land of his birth – a feat his mentor Ian Poulter has never achieved. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

SAM Horsfield claimed his maiden European Tour title at the Hero Open after showing nerves of steel down the stretch.

The Mancunian raised in Florida beat off the challenge of Belgium’s Thomas Detry to seal a one-stroke victory at the Forest of Arden in the West Midlands.

The 23-year-old became the first home winner of the Hero Open – formerly the English Open – since Lee Westwood in 1998.

Horsfield, a protege of Ian Poulter, became the fifth English winner in total and achieved something the Ryder Cup star has not achieved in 20 years on tour – a victory in England.

The win also moves Horsfield to the top of the UK Swing Rankings, from which the top 10 players at the conclusion of the ISPS Handa Wales Open will earn exemptions to next month’s US Open at Winged Foot.

Horsfield said: “It’s crazy, I can’t put it in to words.

“I made a bad bogey on 15, then on 17 we wanted to leave a good five-wood number and I did – 233, wind out to the left. Hit a great shot there.

“It’s special. With everything that’s going on in the world right now, I’m thankful that the European Tour has been able to put on tournaments for us to play.

“I’ve been in Orlando for the last three months and felt like my game was right there. I played decently last week, had a bad finish but kept the positives from that.

“I played solid all week and gave myself a lot of opportunities and made one enough,” said the player who has two 59s to his name already in his career – his first came aged 13.

Sam Horsfield had a six-shot lead at one point on Saturday – but showed nerves of steel during the final round with the chasing pack close on his tail. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

Sam’s back nine fails to prove costly

HORSFIELD had endured a difficult back nine in his third round after giving an on-course interview to Sky Sports walking down the 10th fairway.

The former University of Florida player said he was able to go low by being aggressive.

After speaking to Tim Barter, who asked him about his 59 last month at Florida’s Streamsong, a par 73, Sam relinquished a six-shot lead he had built on the front nine, making a double bogey and giving up three more shots.

But the Englishman, who pulled of the Great Britain & Ireland team before the 2015 Walker Cup team, showed true determination on an exciting final day.

He maintained his one-shot overnight lead over the chasing pack for the vast part of the round.

Horsfield was knocked off the perch briefly when Detry birdied the 17th to move to the front on 18-under par.

But the Belgian missed a crucial par putt at the last from four feet to drop back to 17-under alongside the eventual winner.

Horsfield capitalised on his opportunity at the penultimate hole, playing the par-five to perfection.

The 2017 Qualifying School winner picked up a shot to earn a one-one stroke advantage stepping onto the tee of the par-three final hole.

A deft lag putt left him with an easy par putt to lift the trophy, after signing for a four-under par 68 – and an 18-under total.

Thomas Detry was briefly in the lead with two to play but dropped a shot on the last after making. a birdie on his penultimate hole. Picture by GETTY IMAGES.

Detry only sees positives from UK Swing

DETRY was only taking the positives after another near miss looking for his maiden win.

He said: “A lot of things have been going through my mind, but honestly I have nothing to be disappointed about right now.

“I played some really good golf. The greens are getting trickier down the stretch and I over-read that putt on 18.

“But I’m very pleased with the way I finished on those last few holes to be honest.

“I hit some very good shots out there. Another missed opportunity, but I’ll move on and forget about it – and just try to win next week.

“It was tough out there, the wind started to swirl a little bit and 16 and 17 are tough holes with a lot of water around.

“You have to be careful because you can quickly make a high number, but I handled it pretty well, like I said I’ll just move on.

“I’m feeling very positive about the rest of the UK Swing now.

“I’ve picked up a few points for the UK Swing Rankings so it will change a few things.

“I might not play every single tournament now but we’ll see how things go. But I’m definitely playing next week so I’m looking forward to that.”

Forest of Arden’s £50k from Golf for Good to give away

Horsfield, who left the UK to live in Florida at the age of five, moved from 43rd to 18th in the Race to Dubai Rankings.

His win concluded another successful week on the UK Swing for the European Tour’s Golf for Good initiative.

Forest of Arden received £50,000 from the tour to be distributed to charities of their choice – with Blood Cancer UK being awarded £20,000, and local charities Newlife and Birmingham Mind receiving £15,000 each.

•For the final scores in the Hero Open click here.

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Lee Westwood with his caddy and fiancé Helen Storey playing in last year’s Betfred British Masters at Hillside. Next week he will host the event for a second time at Close House.
Picture by GETTY IMAGES

LEE Westwood will become the first player to host the Betfred British Masters on two occasions when the tournament returns to Close House, near Newcastle-upon-Tyne, next week.

The third European Tour event since a four-month absence because of the coronavirus pandemic, also marks the start of its new six-event UK Swing.

Play gets under way on Wednesday with a Saturday finish as the European Tour avoids clashing with Sky’s coverage of the final day of the Premiership football season, on Sunday afternoon.

The former World No. 1 was host the last time the Betfred British Masters was played at the North East venue in 2017.

And he’ll be joined in the field by the last three winners as he aims to clinch the British Masters title for the second time – following his victory at The Belfry, in 2007.

Westwood enjoyed an impressive start to 2020, before the season was suspended in March due to the global coronavirus pandemic.

The Worksop wonder won the season’s first Rolex Series event – the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, in January,

That was his 25^th European Tour title. Westwood currently sits second in the Race to Dubai Rankings.

The Betfred British Masters marks the full resumption of the European Tour’s 2020 season, following two dual-ranking events in Austria.

All tournaments in the reshaped 2020 season will be subject to stringent safety and testing protocols.

Westwood ‘delighted’ to be host

“I’m delighted to be hosting again,” said 10-time Ryder Cup player Westwood, who has relocated to Newcastle from his native Nottinghamshire.

Lee Westwood has been the touring pro attached to Close House, since 2011

“I did it in 2017 – three years ago here at Close House – and I really enjoyed it. I learned a lot about what goes in to running a golf tournament. So it was interesting to see things from a different perspective.

“It’s a tough job and a tiring one at that. It was tough to do it that week and play golf too.

“I sort of ran out of steam towards the end, but it is going to be different this year.

“No crowds, a little less media and things like that, which will allow me to focus more time on trying to win the golf tournament this time round.

“It’s great that the Betfred British Masters is the first event to kick off the UK Swing. Betfred have been an incredible sponsor.

“They have stuck with us all through it, and they are very excited to be involved again this year.

“My preparation has gone well. The first few weeks we were in lockdown and we weren’t allowed to play golf,.

“So I had a big break from it then. But since golf courses have opened up again, and we are able to get back out on the golf course, I have played most days, probably three or four times a week.

“I have played a lot of golf of late and certainly no one will have played the golf course as much as I have.”

Kinhult would love to win Masters again

ONE man aiming to derail Westwood’s bid to lift the trophy again is defending champion Marcus Kinhult.

Marcus Kinhult interviewed on TV after his victory at Hillside in the British Betfred Masters a year ago

The Swede birdied the final two holes at Hillside Golf Club last season.

He finished one shot ahead of a group of players including 2018 champion Eddie Pepperell – who is also in the field.

Also bidding for a second British Masters title is Paul Dunne, who triumphed in style at Close House in 2017.

The Irishman produced a fantastic closing round of 61 to hold off a late charge from Rory McIlroy, and win his first European Tour title.

Close House will also witness a historic moment next week. The legendary Miguel Ángel Jiménez is set to make his 706^th European Tour appearance.

The 56-year-old Spaniard will equal Sam Torrance’s all-time record.

Wylie Foundation first to benefit from ‘Golf for Good’

THE Sir Graham Wylie Foundation has once again been appointed as the tournament’s official charity partner.

Sir Graham Wylie, the owner of Close House, will see the European Tour’s Golf for Good project support his own charitable foundation during the 2020 British Masters

Foundation patron Westwood will throw his support behind the work of founder Sir Graham Wylie, who also owns the venue.

He is one of the North East’s best-known entrepreneurs and philanthropists.

The European Tour launches its ‘Golf for Good’ initiative, which will run across the six-week UK Swing, at Close House.

A total of £500,000 will be distributed to local charities at each venue – including next week’s good cause.

The other charities will be chosen by the leading 10 players in a mini-Order of Merit, running across the UK Swing.

‘Golf for Good’ will underpin the rest of the European Tour season. It aims to give back in three key areas:–
Supporting communities where the European Tour plays
Rewarding true heroes, such as frontline workers
Promoting the many health benefits golf offers.

The 13th hole at Close House’s Westwood Colt Course, which will stage the Betfred British Masters for a second time from July 22-25.

•Westwood’s association with Close House came in 2011 when he opened the Colt Course, which will host the British Masters.

He also became the club’s touring pro.

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