Vasco Alves seized a one-stroke lead in the opening round of the Timestamp Golf Tour Final by PGA National, creating a high-stakes battle for the circuit’s coveted year-end No. 1 ranking.
Alves, a 25-year-old professional from the Oporto Golf Club, shot a 2-under Par 70 on Friday at the PGA National Aroeira Course No. 2. His strong performance came despite challenging conditions, including a cold morning and a north wind.
The current No. 1 ranked player, Tomás Melo Gouveia, finished the first round tied for 10th place at 4-over Par. This puts his top ranking in jeopardy for the 2025 season.
Rui Morris, president of PGA Portugal, clarified the ranking scenarios. Tomás Melo Gouveia will secure the No. 1 spot if he finishes in the top three of the tournament. However, if he places outside the top three, Alves will claim the No. 1 ranking by winning the event.
Based on current standings after the first round, Alves would become the new No. 1 if the tournament concluded immediately.
“It’s difficult, of course (to be No. 1), also because I don’t control Tomás’s game, but I don’t want to think about it,” Alves said. “I’m going to try to play another very consistent round tomorrow, and that’s my goal.”
Alves’s round featured three birdies and only one bogey. He noted the challenging nature of the course, which he had not played in eight years, citing narrow fairways and long holes, especially with the prevailing wind.
He recently secured his place on the Alps Tour, a European third division circuit, for the 2026 season.
Portugal’s top-ranked player globally, Ricardo Melo Gouveia, was tied for second place after Friday’s round with a 1-under Par 71. However, he will not compete in the final round.
Ricardo Melo Gouveia is traveling to Australia to participate in two DP World Tour tournaments, marking the start of his 2026 season in the European first division.
He expressed his intent to gain “a little rhythm” before heading to Australia. He played the first round after receiving permission from PGA Portugal President Rui Morris, even though it would not count for his official tournament standing.
The Timestamp Golf Tour Final by PGA National is the sixth and final tournament of the 2025 national professional circuit. It is sanctioned by the Portuguese Golf Federation and PGA Portugal.
The second and final round is scheduled to begin Saturday at 8:10 AM, with the final group teeing off at 9:50 AM.
Also tied for second place at 1-under Par were Nuno Campino, playing at his home course in Aroeira, and 17-year-old amateur João Maria Ivo de Carvalho. This marked Carvalho’s best-ever round on the Timestamp Golf Tour in only his second appearance on the circuit.