The greens at Amendoeira Golf Resort recently saw a seasoned junior star claim his final big win. Rodrigo Marques Santos, a familiar face at the Amendoeira World Kids Golf, became champion in his last year as an under-18 player. This victory came at Portugal’s oldest international youth tournament, which counts towards the world amateur ranking.
Rodrigo, from Clube de Golfe de Vilamoura, put on a masterclass. He started strong on the Faldo Course, a tough track designed by golf legend Nick Faldo. His first round was a crisp 71 strokes, one under par. The second day, he matched the course’s par-72. Only in the final round, feeling some weariness and facing a harder course, did he give up a few strokes, finishing with 75. His total score was 218, two over par.
This was a sweet victory with no real challenge. Paul Devillers, a British player from Clube de Golf do Estoril, finished a distant 19 strokes behind. “This tournament fits perfectly into the season,” Rodrigo shared after his win. “I’ll be without tournaments for almost two months now. More players should come here. The course and the atmosphere are truly amazing.” This year, Rodrigo also placed fourth in the National Under-18 Championship. Vilamoura has a winning streak here; João Crasi Alves, who joined the national team for the European Amateur Team Championship this year, won the tournament for Vilamoura in 2023.
A Young Star on the Rise
While Rodrigo closed his junior chapter with a bang, another talent is already making waves in the younger age groups. Ricardo Castro Ferreira is quickly becoming a name to remember. He is the first player ever to win this tournament three years in a row. In his last year as an under-10, he even shattered the tournament record for his age group. Ricardo scored 63 stableford points, two above par, with rounds of 20, 21, and 22.
His father, Stéphane Castro Ferreira, a former national amateur champion himself, couldn’t hide his pride. He noted that Ricardo “ended up getting a ‘single digit’ at 10 years old.” That means Ricardo’s handicap is now below 10, a truly remarkable achievement for someone so young. Ricardo had previously won the ‘net’ title at just eight years old in 2023. He then triumphed in the ‘gross’ category in 2024. This year, the Clube de Golf do Estoril player also stood out nationally. He became only the second player to win the National Under-10 Championship in two separate seasons.
More Champions Crowned
In 2025, just like last year, the under-18 tournament was held alongside the under-16 competition. Here are the other gross winners:
The under-12 title went to Chinese player Ziyang Guo, from Clube de Golf do Estoril. Ziyang, who trains at the National Training Center of Jamor of the Portuguese Golf Federation (FPG), scored 101 points. He posted rounds of 31, 37, and 33. This translates to 223 strokes in stroke play, seven over par. Ziyang Guo beat Afonso Sousa Pinto from Oporto Golf Club by five points. Afonso scored a total of 96, with rounds of 34, 30, and 32. That’s 229 strokes in stroke play, 13 over par.
In the under-14 girls’ category, Carlota Balzer, an Italian-born player from Amendoeira Clube de Golfe, secured the win. She totaled 269 strokes, 53 over par, with rounds of 84, 86, and 99. For the under-14 boys, Miguel Silva was the best. His score was 235, 19 over par, with rounds of 76, 79, and 80. José Silva took second place, 12 strokes behind. José finished with 247 strokes, one over par, posting rounds of 85, 80, and 82.
Beyond the main competition, the Amendoeira Golf Resort’s golf academy hosted a fun ‘pitch & putt’ tournament for parents and children on its nine-hole course. The British duo, Ethan and Nick Hutchinson, from Associação Desportiva e Cultural da Quinta do Lago, took home the win there.
The Amendoeira World Kids Golf has the full backing of the FPG. It is also recognized by the R&A, the organization behind The Open Championship, the fourth Grand Slam tournament of the year. Custódio Moreno, representing IPDJ Algarve, had the honor of presenting the champion’s prize to Rodrigo Marques Santos.
