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The jewel in the Quinta do Lago crown, the South Course has played host to the Portuguese Open no less than eight times. Designed in 1974 by William Mitchell, who raised the bar by introducing American-standard greens, tees and bunkers to the Algarve, it soon gained a reputation as one of the foremost courses in Europe and remains to this day one of the flagship European Tour Courses.The favourite course of many European tour players, it is a 6,500 metre par 72 set amongst umbrella pines, lakes and wild flowers, overlooking the spectacular scenery of the Ria Formosa National Park.The course hosted the Portuguese Open in 1976, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990 and 2001, the most memorable, perhaps, being in 1989 when Colin Montgomerie won the title with an incredible 24 under par.