The ninth Portuguese International Mid-Amateur Championship concluded on 1 November 2026 at Palmares Ocean Living & Golf near Lagos, in Portugal's Algarve region. Three rounds of stroke play on the Lagos–Praia course combination produced champions from Belgium and Germany: Elsie Verhoeven in the women's competition and Yannic Voelker in the men's. The Portuguese Golf Federation (Federação Portuguesa de Golfe, FPG) confirmed the final standings, including strong performances by the host nation's amateurs.
Verhoeven wins by 16 strokes, with a hole-in-one along the way
Belgium's Elsie Verhoeven led the women's event from start to finish. Her rounds of 67, 69 and 70 totalled 206 strokes, 10 under par, over 54 holes. Ireland's Aideen Walsh finished runner-up on 222 (+6), 16 strokes behind.
Verhoeven's opening 67 (−5) was particularly eventful. Her card included three birdies and two eagles, one of which was a hole-in-one on the 14th hole. Two bogeys did not prevent her from building an immediate lead. She followed that performance with 69 (−3) and 70 (−2) to seal a comfortable victory. The first-round ace was scored as an eagle; it must not be confused with any hole-out made after the tee shot.
Marta Lampreia, representing Quinta do Peru, finished fifth and was the highest-placed Portuguese woman. Her result gave the home contingent a noteworthy top-five finish in an international field.
Voelker prevails after a closely fought men's finish
Yannic Voelker and Ireland's Ian Lynch entered the final round tied at seven under. Voelker then shot an even-par 72 to finish on 209 (−7). Lynch returned 74 (+2) and slipped out of the fight for first.
Fellow German Jan-Phillip Heyen delivered the best final round in the men's competition, a 67 (−5), to take second place just one stroke behind Voelker. Portugal's Pedro Sampaio Sá Lima of Atlântico shared sixth place with a 54-hole total of 214 (−2).
Germany also takes the Nations Cup
The accompanying Nations Cup was won by Germany A, comprising Voelker, Heyen and Kai Kroeber. Ireland and Sweden A shared second, eight strokes behind the winners, while Portugal A — Pedro Sampaio Sá Lima, José Pedro Patacão and Ricardo Bleck Soares — placed eighth.
Mid-amateur golf is a competition format for adult amateurs, not a professional tour or the over-50s senior circuit. Hosting the event allowed Portugal's leading club players to measure themselves against strong international opposition on home soil. The federation's 1 November results confirm the two international titles, Lampreia's fifth place, Sá Lima's share of sixth and the German team victory.
