European Tour Insider: Strong field in Portugal

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Rory McIlroy is leading the European Tour's Race to Dubai. Look for him to extend his lead this week in Portugal.

This week's Portugal Masters boasts the strongest field in its three-year history -- a 126-man lineup heralded by a plethora of star names.There's nothing mind-bending about the Fontana course near Austria for the home hero.

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Rory McIlroy is looking to strengthen his position in the lead for the Race to Dubai. Padraig Harrington, who currently ranks 21st, is determined he can still win that Order of Merit, provided the results come his way in the remaining weeks.

A closer contender is Lee Westwood in fourth place, who, like McIlroy, aims to cash in on the continued absence of Martin Kaymer and Paul Casey, the other frontrunners in the Race.

Sunshine is practically guaranteed at Vilamoura, so we'll see if the rays illuminate the young Holywood hero McIlroy or one of the host of rivals.

CUE QUIROS

Alvaro Quiros will inevitably be one of the favorites this week as he defends the title he won by three strokes last year. It may not have been his first title, but it was the one that swept him to prominence, and, having followed up by winning the Qatar Masters this year, the young Spaniard vaulted into the world's top 50 and to an even wider audience.

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Robert Lee and John Hawksworth recap the Madrid Masters, talk to Sergio Garcia about golf in the Olympics and preview the Portugal Masters. Click to listen

There were signs in Madrid last week that his game is returning with rounds of 67 and 66 on the second and third days; though he never contended in the final round.

Fellow Spaniards Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, Alejandro Canizares and, particularly, Ignacio Garrido all look to be coming into their games again, and could threaten in the weeks ahead. You can almost guarantee the bright red Ferrari of Miguel Angel Jimenez will catch the eye as he revs up in the Vilamoura parking lot.

LOOK AT LIMA

The Portuguese will look for a home star, and the usual candidate, Jose-Filipe Lima, may be a stronger contender than in the past. He arrives having recently captured the Ecco Championship in Denmark on the Challenge Tour. He followed that with second place in Toulouse, so he's already guaranteed a return to the European Tour for next season.

The 27-year-old was born in Versailles near to the Saint-Nom-La-Breteche course, which recently hosted the Vivendi trophy. Yes, that's in France, and when he won the Saint Omer Open in 2004, he was known as Philippe. He then switched to his parents' nationality.

He first hit balls at the age of 2 with a club his father made. There's an excellent photo of the boy Lima on www.josefilipelima.com, guaranteed to make you say "awww."

MAGIC McGOWAN

Another 27-year-old made headlines at the Madrid Masters last week as Ross McGowan claimed his first Tour title. A third-round 60 saw him surge seven-shots clear into the final round, and though the lead dwindled to just two strokes over Mikko Ilonen at one stage, he knew he had enough in hand to complete the job.

The win will have come as no surprise to his old coach at the University of Tennessee. When McGowan was a student there prior to graduating in 2006, Jim Kelson said, "He's obviously got the capability to play at a really high level. He's capable of winning major international tournaments."

McGowan hadn't remembered the prediction, but said: "He always had high hopes for me, and I guess they're starting to come true."

That 60 wasn't his lowest round, either. While there has never been a 59 on the European Tour, McGowan can reflect on one at Willow Creek in Tennessee in 2003. "I shot a 59, but it was forward tees, some red, some yellows, but obviously a great feeling. This matches it."

CHARL CHAGRIN

The fact that the defending champion in Madrid eventually posted closing rounds of 68 and 67 is something to be applauded, because Charl Schwartzel had to try to contend with borrowed clubs. He had traveled from Scotland to Spain via Frankfurt and said, "They were on about seven flights; they (the airline) promised me." He borrowed clubs from other pros, and even wore James Kingston's shoes.

"It's not like you can't play," he said. "But last week I was swinging the club very good, my last three rounds were 67, 67, 67."

Watch out if he has his own clubs from the start this week.

KEEP YOUR CHIN UP

Alex Noren's clubs arrived in time for competition, though not for practice. Long lines at the lost baggage claim in Madrid proved fruitless, and his annoyance grew as his taxi driver got lost looking for the hotel.

At least he finished fourth in the end to build on the win at the Omega European Masters. And in the gym, he has a new boast.

"I broke my old record of 14 chin ups," he said. "Don't know how I could increase it by three, but I guess it was the espresso I took just before the session. I never drink coffee, but (I was told) it could make me perform better, so I downed one as quick as I could."

PETER NO MATES

More than clubs can go missing -- pro-am partners, too.

Johnnie Walker Championship winner Peter Hedblom stood on the first tee in Madrid, awaiting company that never arrived.

"Two minutes to go, one minute to go. No one came," he said "I don't know what I've done wrong."

He was permitted to play by himself, but given the slow play he opted to cut corners. "After one hole, it took too much time, so I played 16 and 17, and went in," Hedblom said. He picked up his appearance money anyhow.