The HotelPlanner Tour moves from Poland to Portugal. From September 11th to 14th, the Royal bidos Spa & Golf Resort in Vau bidos will host the Portuguese Open. The tournament precedes the Italian Challenge Open, one of the most important events on the second European men's circuit, also part of the Italian Pro Tour calendar, scheduled for September 18th to 21st at the Golf Nazionale in Sutri (Viterbo), the Coverciano of greens.
HotelPlannerTour, schedule
Six Italians will compete in Portugal: alongside Romans Filippo Celli, Renato Paratore ranked third and sixth respectively and Enrico Di Nitto, there will also be Lombardy's Stefano Mazzoli and Lorenzo Scalise, as well as Bolzano's Aron Zemmer. While Celli and Paratore already have one foot in the 2026 DP World Tour, Mazzoli, who is 21st in the rankings, is aiming to return to the top 20 of the "Road to Mallorca," which, at the end of the season (five events remaining), will earn a ticket to the top continental circuit. Mazzoli himself came close to achieving this feat last year, finishing the tournament in second place (just like Scalise in 2023), behind only American Matt Oshrine, who will be aiming for a repeat of his success in the competition.
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The tournament, founded in 1953, will be held for the sixth year in a row at the Royal bidos, designed by Severiano Ballesteros and considered one of the best golf courses in the country. From 2026, the venue will change. From 1973 to 2010, the event was part of the then European Tour (now the DP World Tour). Then, after a six-year hiatus, in 2017 it was organized jointly by the Challenge (now HotelPlanner Tour) and the European Tour. For the past five years, it has been on the schedule of the second European circuit only. Alfonso Angelini has won two Italian titles, in 1962 and 1966, respectively. The roll of honor also features the exploits of two former European Ryder Cup captains, Scotsmen Colin Montgomerie (champion in 1989) and Sam Torrance (winners in 1982 and 1983). This year, a prize pool of 300,000 is up for grabs, with 48,000 going to the winner.
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The rules of golf are relatively complicated compared to other sports because they are played outdoors, close to nature and animals. Respecting the rules is a fundamental element in the game of golf, which, almost always based on self-control and the free conscience of the players, often sees distorted results, sometimes consciously, but often unconsciously or through carelessness, due to the failure of many players to comply with the rules of the game. In addition to the rules, golf adheres to a code of conduct, known as etiquette, which generally means playing the game with due respect for the golf course and other players. Etiquette is an essential component of this sport.
