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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Andy Sullivan’s English Championship win at Hanbury Manor was his first since the Portugal Masters in 2015, and moves him to the top of the UK Swing Order of Merit. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

ANDY Sullivan cruised to a commanding victory at the English Championship at Hanbury Manor.

The former Ryder Cup player claimed his fourth European Tour title and his first in nearly five years in the process after his win at the Portugal Masters in 2015.

The Walker Cup winner held the lead in the UK Swing’s third event from the second round – when he carded a course-record 62.

And the Nuneaton boy never relinquished his place at the summit.

A third round 64 handed the 34-year-old a five-stroke advantage heading into the final day at Hanbury Manor Marriott Hotel and Country Club, and he never let up on a frazzling final day as the thermometer headed to the high 80s.

An eagle three at the par five second hole quashed the early hopes of a determined chasing pack.

The latter included Spain’s two-time European Tour winner Adrian Otaegui, whose five-under front nine made him a leading contender for an upset.

Otaegui got to within two with six to play, but Sullivan picked up four shots down the stretch to seal the deal with a six-under par 65 and a 27-under total – winning by seven shots from the Spaniard.

Sullivan sheds a few tears after win

THE normally chirpy Sullivan was left sharing some tears after speaking to his family in a live video link after walking off the 18th

He said: “I’m proud of myself. I wasn’t quite stuck in the doldrums. But it just hasn’t quite happened for me since those three wins in 2015 – and it feels like a weight off my shoulders now… I think it told out there.

“I never really felt comfortable out on the golf course all day, I found it quite a battle the whole way around until I started dropping a couple of putts on the back nine and my lead started increasing.

“I was always on guard today, I knew Adrian was there breathing down my neck.

“But it’s nice to come down those last few holes and know the job was done.

“I got to the green at 12 and I saw him birdie that hole to get to within two so I knew that was going to be quite big.

“I holed it, and then had a great two-putt on the next and then two really good putts on 14 and 15 which were massive.”

Adrian Otaegui pushed Sullivan as hard as he could despite being six shots behind. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

Otaegui: Sully was at another level

OTAEGUI was looking for this third win on the Euorpean Tour – and his first since claiming the Belgian Knockout in 2018.

Adrian said: “I’m very happy with my round, very happy with my week overall.

“Obviously, congratulations to Andy, he’s played at just another level. The rounds he’s played this week were amazing.

“He played some very very good golf. But I’m very happy with my score, I had a very good start which was good.

“I was feeling very good. I was rolling the ball very well all week really and was feeling very confident.

“I holed some good putts for birdie today, saved a couple of pars as well. I had very good pace on the long putts as well. They were finishing quite close to the hole which is always quite good to tap it in. ”

The new champion, who won three times in 2015 – including twice in South Africa to earn a place in Darren Clarke’s Ryder Cup team at Hazeltine a year later – moved from 42nd to 15th in the Race to Dubai rankings.

It also moved him to the top of the UK Swing Order of Merit after three events.

The top 10 after the sixth and final tournament will share an additional £250,000 from the European Tour’s Golf for Good initiative, to donate to the charity of their choice.

The top 10 – not otherwise exempt after the fifth event – will also gain spots in the US Open at Winged Foot next month.

Wentworth’s Steven Brown could not convert his many birdie chances on Sunday. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

Brown beaten as the putts fail to drop at Ware course

SULLIVAN was paired with Wentworth’s Walker Cup team-mate Steven Brown, who finished on 17-under after seeing a number of putts brush the hole.

Brown, who played in the same Great Britain and Ireland team that beat the USA at Royal Aberdeen in 2011, as Sullivan, was looking for a second win, having claimed the Portugal Masters title in November.

That end-of-season win also saved his European Tour card.

Denmark’s Rasmus Højgaard was one shot further back in third in the English Championship, with young South African Wilco Nienaber on 18-under par, having got into the event as an alternative at the 11th hour.

Højgaard, who won a play-off in Mauritius in December, admitted a US Open debut was top of his priorties after securing his card as the third-youngest winner in European Tour history at just 18.

Rasmus said: “I think the last two days, my scoring has not been a low as I want it to be.

“But I’ve been fighting and grinding my way through the rounds and I’m happy to shoot a low one today.

“I’ve been consistent I guess. I’ve been having a good couple of weeks, happy with how my game is trending.

“Obviously that US Open spot is what I want right now and I have booked my ticket there now so I’m happy with that.”

•To see the final results from Hanbury Manor click here. And to see the current mini-Order of Merit list click here.

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Wentworth’s Steven Brown resecued his European Tour card for 2020 by winning the Portugal Masters by a shot from South Africa’s Brandon Stone at Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

SURREY’S Steven Brown overturned a three-stroke deficit to win his first European Tour title at the Portugal Masters and secured his playing rights for the 2020 season in the process.

The Wentworth member arrived in Portugal needing a top-three finish to secure his card for 2020– and started the final day in the Algarve in fourth place.

But the 2011 English Amateur Champion put the pressure on 54-hole leader Brandon Stone after the turn with a birdie on the 11th.

And a spectacular eagle on the 12th – after hitting his second shot to just four feet – would ultimately hand him his maiden European Tour victory at Vilamoura’s Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course.

Brown, who had finished tied eighth on the much tougher Le Golf National course in Paris a week ago, said: “It’s hard to put into words. It hasn’t sunk in. It was a weird day. You never know with this game.

“It’s crazy to think how well I’ve played this month and how bad the first two-thirds of the year were. I never thought this would happen – I was counting down to Tour School and getting ready for that.

“That shot I hit into 12 was probably the best shot I’ve ever hit. It couldn’t have come off more perfect,” said Brown, who was a winning member of the 2011 Walker Cup team against the USA at Royal Aberdeen.

“I saw the leaderboard at 13 and saw Justin was playing well and Brandon was still ahead of me,” added Brown, who lost a play-off to Matt Wallace in the Made in Denmark last year.

“I kept telling myself to keep going – we had holes to play. It seems like everyone fell away at the end. It went my way because I just parred in,” said Brown who was greeted by the Hertfordshire ace in the scorer’s hut after posting the clubhouse lead on 17-under, with Stone on the 18th tee.

“I’ve just had a calmness in my head the last few weeks – even today. I like the fact I had to go for it and wasn’t trying for a good result,” Brown added.

“I had to seize the chance to win the tournament. That’s the difference.

“Before I’ve thought… ‘I’m up there and had a good week, that’s great’ – this week it was do or bust.

“I can’t believe it,” said Brown, who was congratulated by Walker Cup team-mate Andy Sullivan – a former winner at Dom Pedro Victoria – spraying him with champagne, on the putting green after Stone failed to birdie the 18th hole, playing in the last group.

A gaggle of English players joined in the celebrations, including Essex’s Oliver Fisher, who had a chance of winning going into round four, plus two-time Portugal Masters winner Tom Lewis, another of the Great Britain and Ireland team that saw off the Americans eight years ago in Scotland, including PGA Tour winners Jordan Spieth, Patrick Cantlay, Harris English and Russell Henley.

Brown and Stone were tied with just five holes to play after the South African bogeyed the 13th, with the Englishman moving ahead after his rival dropped another shot at the 16th.

Brown held his nerve with par on each of his final six holes to secure his first European Tour title – his playing rights for 2020 – and his spot in the Turkish Airlines Open in a fortnight’s time.

The latest product of the Wentworth Academy programme – that includes Ross Fisher and Annabel Dimmock on the Ladies European Tour – will now play in the first of three consecutive Rolex Series events at the end of the 2019 season.

Stone shared second place with his compatriot Justin Walters – who needed a strong week to secure his playing rights for next year, which he did after moving up to 79th from 121st on the Race to Dubai rankings.

Frenchman Adrien Saddier finished fourth, while Northumberland’s Chris Paisley – another who congratulated the new champion as he was preparing for a possible first play-off in the Portugal Master’s history rounded out the top five.

Similarly to Walters, Hampshire’s Jack Singh-Brar needed a strong performance to secure his card for 2020.

The 22-year-old, who started playing for the county’s juniors while a member at Bramshaw, started the week as the last man in on the Race to Dubai in 117th place.

But, as the cut-off moved to 115th, the 2017 Walker Cup player responded with a final round of 66 to move to 109th and a share of eighth place.

Singh-Brar, who first played on the European Tour as an amateur in Russia after winning the Faldo Series in 2012, said: “I’m over the moon.

“I got off to a great start – three-under through nine – I just tried to keep pushing.

“It’s hard when you know how much is on the line, I’m just so glad to have done it,” added Singh-Brar, who played in the same Great Britain & Ireland team as fellow Hampshire junior graduates Scott Gregory and Harry Ellis, in Los Angeles.

“You wake up with thoughts racing round, even today. I knew I had to shoot a good number because there were so many people chasing me down.

“Trying to control my emotions, even coming down 18 I could barely hold the club. I struggled to get comfortable all year – hence my results. Now I feel like I can push on.”

Gregory, from Corhampton, will join Wentworth member Ellis at the second stage of the European Tour Qualifying School next week after crashing out at the halfway mark on Friday, having taken a ninth at the par four seventh, in round two, missing the cut by eight shots.

Ellis came through the first stage last month, and has produced back-to-back runner-up spots on the MENA Tour in October.

•Full results from the Portugal Masters click here.

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