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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Californian John Catlin flew to Spain fresh from his Asian Tour win in Thailand in his bid to win a full European Tour card. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

AMERICAN John Catlin carded a flawless six-under par 65 to charge into an early lead at European Tour Qualifying School Final Stage, at Spain’s Lumine Golf Club.

Catlin came into the event less than a week after securing his fourth Asian Tour victory, in Thailand, and continued in the same form.

He recorded six birdies and 12 pars on the Lakes Course as he looks to secure an immediate return to the European Tour, having earned starts in 2019 via the Asian Order of Merit.

Catlin said: “It’s only one of six rounds and it’s definitely a nice way to start but there’s still a long way to go.

“I remember liking this track at last year’s event and the Hills was the course I definitely struggled on, so to come out and take full advantage of that was a good way to start.

“Winning my fourth title on the Asian Tour and to win in Thailand where I’ve been living for the past three years was a great feeling.

“I know if I can take care of what I can take care of then I’ve got every chance of contending and I’ve given myself the best chance possible.

“It’s been absolutely fantastic to compete in Europe. It’s made me a better golfer for sure.

“You can see the difference coming from the Asian Tour to the European Tour, which is the next step up and the margin of error is just that much smaller.”

The 29-year-old Californian admitted he relished the opportunity to compete in Europe for the first time this season.

His best finish was a tie for 12th at the Made in Denmark but knows there is still a long way to go before he seals his 2020 playing rights in the six-round contest in Tarragona.

Catlin will begin the second round with a one-shot advantage over a group of six players on five-under.

It includes 2018 Final Stage joint-champion Alejandro Cañizares, Dane Benjamin Poke, Frenchman Jean-Baptiste Gonnet, Finland’s Sami Valimaki, Sussex’s Toby Tree and Italian Lorenzo Scalise.

Poke, who finished 29th on the Challenge Tour’s Road to Mallorca last week, said: “It’s always nice to get off to a good start.

“It’s my first time at Final Stage and I’ve heard from some of the other guys, especially some of the Danes, how long a week it is.

“As always, tournaments are not won on day one but I’m certainly very happy to get off to a good start,” said the 28-year-old. “Hopefully I can continue in the same mindset.

“Coming from the Nordic Golf League last year and playing in Category 13 on the Challenge Tour, I felt like I had a good season by making it to the Grand Final.

“And from hereon in, everything I do this week is just a bonus. It’s quite a nice place to be, I think, and obviously you’re still trying to do as well as you can.

“The nerves are still going to be there because it means something to you,” added Poke.

“My goal is to take every day at a time and every shot at a time – it’s a cliché but that’s the thing.”

Jean-Baptiste Gonnet, who played the Challenge Tour after turning pro in 2004, but lost his European Tour card in 2013, said: “I haven’t been playing anymore, I’ve just been teaching golf.

“I went to First Stage just for fun and I made it to Second Stage – and now I’m here, so I’m back playing.

“I love playing golf. I played poorly at the end of my career so it was tough for me to play golf, and I didn’t even want to think about playing golf even with my friends.

“I wasn’t enjoying it very much but I haven’t played for a year or so, and I’m enjoying it much more, so that’s why I’m here, to have fun.”

Meanwhile France’s Robin Sciot-Siegrist, who narrowly missed out on his European Tour card after finishing 16th at the Challenge Tour Grand Final last week, is a shot back on four-under.

Sciot-Siegrist, who missed out on a European Tour card by just one spot on the Road to Mallorca rankings, said: “I’m really happy with what I did at the Challenge Tour Grand Final.

“I believe that for me, missing the top 15 was not a matter of how I played last week, it was other moments during the year. Last week was my best result of the year.

“Obviously I finished 16th, it was hard to swallow, two years ago I finished 17th – so it’s getting there. I’m improving every year.

“I’m playing this course that I know pretty well, so I just have to continue the way I have been, because it works.”

Sciot-Siegrist was joined on that mark by Germany’s Hurly Long and Italian Aron Zemmer, who won the European Tour Qualifying School Second Stage event at Club de Golf Bonmont, last weekend.

Nine years ago Frenchman Gregory Havret finished runner-up to Graeme McDowell at the US Open at Pebble Beach.

But after finishing 28th on the Road to Mallorca, 42-year-old Havret said after his first round: “It’s been a busy year since the Challenge Tour season began in Turkey.

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