Quinta do Lago has enhanced its position at the forefront of the world’s premier golf destinations after claiming double success at the 1st World Golf Awards, including its redeveloped North Course being named as Europe’s Best New Golf Course.
The newly-revamped lay-out has won widespread acclaim since being officially opened by victorious European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley and renowned American designer Beau Welling last month, and was one of the stars of the show when the winners were announced at a glittering awards ceremony at the resort last weekend.
The awards were being held for the first time and, in an evening of unparalleled success, Quinta do Lago had three further reasons to celebrate.
The resort’s highly-regarded South Course received the coveted honour of Best Golf Course in Portugal, Portugal was named as the World’s Best Golf Destination while McGinley, a regular visitor to Quinta do Lago for more than 20 years where he founded the only Paul McGinley Golf Academy in the world, was a popular choice as Golf Personality of the Year award.
John Dwyer, chief executive at Quinta do Lago, said: “It was a real thrill for us to play a leading role in the inaugural World Golf Awards and we feel tremendously honoured to win some of its main awards.
“It’s our aim at Quinta do Lago to provide the best golfing experience and the success is deserved recognition and testament to the hard work put in by everyone to keep the resort at the head of worldwide golf destinations.
“The South Course continues to be regarded as one of the established stars of golf in the Algarve and we’re particularly excited at the potential and prospects for the new North Course. The reaction we’ve received from the golf industry since it reopened has been phenomenal and the course is set to herald an exciting new era for the resort.”
Some of golf‘s most famous names including legendary commentator Peter Alliss and respected architect Bill Coore joined leading industry figures at the top family resort for the inaugural World Golf Awards, which also gave Quinta do Lago the chance to showcase the venue’s world-class facilities including its North Course.
Redeveloped by McGinley in close collaboration with Welling, the new-look layout has been one of the most talked-about design projects in Europe in 2014, with the venue being completed in the space of just ten months.
The North Course redevelopment is part of a major €29m investment programme that has been undertaken by Quinta do Lago since 2009, and guests from 37 countries had the chance to enjoy the extensive golf and leisure facilities on offer at the resort – including 18 holes on the North Course and South Course, an eight-time host of the Portuguese Open.
All the winners were crowned at a lavish gala ceremony at the Conrad Algarve, where Alliss was presented with a lifetime achievement award and Coore, who redesigned the world-famous Pinehurst No 2 course with Ben Crenshaw, received a special golf architect award.
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