The Justin Rose Telegraph Junior Golf Championship will return to its home later this year when the exclusive Quinta do Lago resort in Portugal hosts the 2022 version of the unofficial ‘major of junior golf.
Europe’s premier golf and lifestyle resort, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, will have the honour of staging the final of the 54-hole stroke play event tournament on its iconic South Course from October 31 to November 5.
The prestigious event will see 24 finalists – 12 boys and 12 girls – compete for the chance to add their names to an illustrious list of previous winners including Ryder Cup stars Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Fitzpatrick, Ladies European Tour members Jodie Ewart Shadoff and Melissa Reid, and Rose himself.
And this year’s final will be extra special for the elite junior field, with Quinta do Lago’s famous South Course – an eight-time venue of the Portuguese Open – being used for the first time since undergoing a major €7m upgrade.
Former world number one Rose said: “I am delighted to continue my support of the Justin Rose Telegraph Junior Golf Championship as title sponsor as it’s a tournament close to my heart since I won the title back in 1997. It's fantastic to be involved in the championship, and to have the opportunity to encourage and grow junior, grassroots golf.
“It was great to be at both the 2019 and the 2021 finals and to get a chance to meet all the finalists in person and get out on the course to see first-hand just what these talented youngsters can do. This year, the final will return to Quinta do Lago where the finalists will play the recently developed South Course, host to the Portuguese Open for several years.
“I can't wait to see the talent of all the juniors taking part in our 2022 championship. Good luck to everyone and enjoy it!”
The Justin Rose Telegraph Junior Golf Championship is open to any juniors aged under-18 at midnight on January 1, 2022, and the finals – which will be televised by Sky Sports – will be returning to Quinta do Lago for the sixth time in the last eight years.
Qualification for the competition, which is supported by the R&A, European Tour and England Golf, is open from now until September 5, 2022, and details on how to enter or how clubs can get involved can be found at www.telegraph.co.uk/juniorgolf .
Sean Moriarty, CEO at Quinta do Lago, said: “Quinta do Lago has a long and proud association with this tournament and it’s a tremendous privilege for us to be hosting the event in such a landmark year for the resort.
“Providing a location and facilities for young people to prosper and thrive is one of the core values of Quinta do Lago. As a former winner, Justin Rose is the perfect role model for the championship to help inspire the next generation of golfing superstars, and we can’t wait to welcome this year’s group of finalists.”
Set amongst 2,000 acres of the picturesque Ria Formosa Natural Park and just a 15-minute drive from Faro airport, Quinta do Lago has been at the forefront of Europe’s elite golf, sports and family destinations for five decades and features a combination of world-class golf and lifestyle facilities.
As well as three 18-hole championship golf courses – the iconic South Course, which reopened last autumn following a major renovation, North Course and Laranjal – and outstanding practice facilities, guests can enjoy an array of sports at the state-of-the-art performance centre The Campus, a world-class sports hub designed for professionals and amateurs alike to train and live well.
Complementing the facilities is a choice of 14 first-class bars and restaurants that deliver a range of delicious world cuisines, including the acclaimed Bovino Steakhouse and UMAMI – the resort’s first Asian restaurant – with accommodation at the boutique The Magnolia Hotel.