Colin Montgomerie Golfing Icon and QDL Share a Unique Bond

Legendary Ryder Cup-winning captain Colin Montgomerie OBE confides in WHEREVER’s Kam Heskin about how Quinta do Lago holds a special place in his heart.

Monty recently came to play the second annual One Green Way Invitational Pro-Am, a tournament that is quickly gaining an enviable reputation as the most sought-after private golf tournament in Europe. The competition promotes Portugal’s newest and most exclusive community, the stunningly luxurious One Green Way in Quinta do Lago. The award-winning development is due to complete in 2024.

Sipping a cold beer on the sun-drenched veranda of the QDL Clubhouse draws a striking contrast to the UK at this time of year: “London in February is grey and bleak. Coming down here is like a different world, there’s not a cloud in the sky… this is where the wealth of Europe ends up, especially in winter, and why not?” professional golfer Paul Broadhurst victoriously took home the €55,000 prize, while local resident and high-handicapper Asif Oomer claimed the Amateur Trophy.

Monty mentioned a stand-out moment during the opening night dinner as eight Ryder and Solheim Cup captains were called up front during a Q&A with Sky Sports’ Sarah Stirk. He noticed each of them happened to be wearing their unique Rolex Captain’s watches and remarked how unusual it was to “have eight captains speaking at one time, in one place… that’s very rare, a big deal.” The event closed with a glamorous Gala Dinner at Bovino Steakhouse, where 200 guests were entertained by worldfamous magician Mário Daniel. Also celebrated was the 57th birthday of José Maria Olazábal, making it “a very well run, classy and elegant affair…very European.”

The meticulously organised three-day tournament paired sixty professionals with sixty privately invited guests. Monty was drawn with Lord Francis Stafford, whom he tells me was a close friend of the late Queen. “Oh, he’s brilliant, the stories he can tell.”

When asked about golf tips proffered during the weekend, he tells me people tend to grip the club too tightly. “They strangle it through anxiety and stress, as opposed to just relaxing and letting it happen.” In the end, British

Colin Montgomerie has blessed us all with 35 years of golfing magnificence on courses all over the world. He has won a record eight European Tour Order of Merit titles, is a member of the Golf Hall of fame, and has enjoyed 54 professional wins but: “Portugal means so much to me because the first win is special.” Incidentally, he won the 1989 Portuguese Open by 11 strokes, so it seems the QDL South Course agrees with this reporter in thinking that Monty is pretty damn special too.

Follow Colin Montgomerie @colinmontgomerie