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. And in between, there were views of the Minho in all its verdant glory. 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.

Celebrating V&G’s 22nd anniversary

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 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 British brand’s first SUV.
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. At the moment of truth, with an atmosphere of suspense, the winner of the 1st Net was revealed as Paulo Peixoto. The 1st Gross went to Paulo Fernandes, 2nd to Rui Martins and 3rd to Luís Pinheiro. 2nd Net went to Luís Antunes and 3rd to 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!