Villas&Golfe International Cup 2023, Ponte de Lima

New year, new tournament. This time, it was Portugal’s oldest town that opened its doors to the Villas&Golfe International Cup circuit, in an edition that took place on September 23 at Axis Golfe Ponte de Lima. Celebrating its 22nd anniversary, V&G spared no surprises, spurring golfers on to achieve a hole-in-one in exchange for an Aston Martin DBX550.
For those who don’t know, a hole-in-one occurs when, starting directly from the tee, the ball goes into the hole with just one shot. And, as it turned out, this was the primary objective of the players during the tournament. Parked outside the clubhouse, the DBX550 was a reminder that it was still in the running, with its sleek SUV look and its many interesting features. The course also posed a challenge for those who wanted to win the Net or Gross events. 

The par 71 Axis Golf develops over 18 holes and over a length of 6005 metres, combining flat and rolling terrain. The 3rd hole is the longest in Portugal and one of the most demanding in Europe, which set the bar high. And in between, there were views of the Minho in all its verdant glory, which perhaps gave hope to the less fortunate. The green backdrop was broken by the whiteness of the clubhouse, where the reception and golf shop can be found. The courtyard outside the restaurant was chosen as the location for the course bar, where 88 participants passed by on that first sunny autumn morning. The weather was favourable, ideal for successful rounds, which meant that the moments of socialising and tasting, provided by the tournament's partners, further enhanced the experience. Highlights included the show cooking provided by Haier, the tournament’s main sponsor, along with the cured ham tasting courtesy of Solar dos Nunes, the olive oil tasting by Acushla and the Vidago Villa wine tasting. Turkish Airlines, Turismo do Porto e Norte, the Municipality of Ponte de Lima, Aston Martin Porto and Lisbon, BEC, KUC, Kyaia and many more also joined the event which, year after year, has grown more exclusive. When the clock sounded the end of the competition, everyone knew that no one would get behind the wheel of the model worth around 330,000 Euros. But the sorrows were soon dispelled with lunch on the course, where, between heartfelt speeches, people toasted the past, present and future of golf. And the surprises didn’t stop there. The organisers had planned an afternoon programme full of glamour and flair. 

Celebrating V&G’s 22nd anniversary 

While still in Ponte de Lima, guests were then able to enjoy the sunset at Vinte - Quinta da Boavista, with a welcome drink, a dînatoire and the prize-giving ceremony, accompanied by more well-known public figures. At the moment of truth, with an atmosphere of suspense, the winner of the 1st Net was revealed as Paulo Peixoto, who summed up the secret to his win in a few words: «training, persistence and never getting discouraged». The 1stGross went to Paulo Fernandes, 2nd to Rui Martins and 3rd to Luís Pinheiro. 2nd Net went to Luís Antunes and 3rdto Miguel Vieira. In the Ladies’ Longest Drive category, Anne Marie was the winner and in the Men’s Longest Drive, Armando Ribeiro. The Nearest to The Pin was won by Miguel Gonçalves. 
Once the faces of this year’s winners were known, another memorable day in the history of the Villas&Golfe International Cup came to a close. As for us, we’ll continue to promote what sets us apart: all that is premium. See you next year and happy playing!