European Tour: Portugal Masters top 10 power rankings

The 11th playing of the Portugal Masters is featured this week on the European Tour

The European Tour hits Portugal for the second time this season for this week’s Portugal Masters.

This 11-year event has been at the Dom Pedro Golf Course in Vilamoura, Portugal, each year. What we’ve come to annually expect from the 7,273, par-71 Arnold Palmer design is low scoring.

DPGC is on the southern coast of Portugal on a relatively flat and exposed piece of land.

It’s early in the week as I write this, but the weekend weather forecast looks impeccable. Benign conditions may increase the average winning score that stands at an even 18-under par. In 2014, that’s what winner Alexander Lévy reached in 36 holes (!) in a rain-shortened event.

Being it’s a short to midsize course that doesn’t overly penalize waywardness, I like some of the longer hitters to find success here.

With several top players from Europe either in the U.S. for the Tour Championship or resting for next week’s star studded British Masters, this could be another week where a Romain Wattel type breaks through for a first victory.

Fourteen top-50 players in the Race to Dubai standings are in the field. Eight of the Portugal Masters’ 10 past champions are on site and in search of becoming the tournament’s first multiple winner.

Here’s a look at 10 players who could have their hands on the silver trophy and €333,330 come Sunday afternoon.