DP World Tour Championship,Dubai;Portuguese Visas

The DP World Tour Championship,Dubai is underway in the United Arab Emirates.It is being played at Jumeirah Golf Estates,a luxury resort community.The tournament is the culminating event of the European Tour's Race To Dubai,the overall season championship of the Tour.Henrik Stenson of Sweden is current leader of the Race To Dubai,while Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy is defending champion of the tournament. McIlroy is currently tied for the first round lead with Spain's Rafa Cabrera-Bello at -3.*
Partners of the European Tour are BMW;Genworth;and Rolex.Sponsors are ClubCar and Titleist.*
Peter Uihlein is the only American participant.*
Meanwhile,the Australasian PGA Tour is holding the Australian Masters at Royal Melbourne.Adam Scott is defending champion,and American Matt Kuchar is also participating.*
NBC Universal's Golf Channel is broadcasting both events.*
Investors who transfer at least 1 million euros to Portugal or create at least 10 jobs are eligible for a Portuguese residence visa.The program is also for those
who buy property in Portugal worth a mimimum of 500,000 euros.Since inception,it has netted 198 million euros of investment.Up to 400 visas will be issued in the program this year;there is currently no limit for 2014.

European Golf:Rory Takes DP World Trophy and Scepter

Rory McIlroy fought off effects of desert heat on Sunday to win at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai,UAE.The culmination of the season-long Race To Dubai was held on the Earth Course at the Jumeirah Golf Estates.Northern Ireland's McIlroy posed in his red polo shirt with the huge trophy and scepter he was awarded for topping the tournament field.
McIlroy finished with a final round 23 under par 66,followed by England's Justin Rose in 2nd,and South Africa's Charles Schwartzel and England's Luke Donald  sharing 3rd on the leader board,respectively.
McIlroy's golden season included a money list double,dominating earnings on both the European and PGA Tours,as well as a victory at the PGA Tour Championship in Atlanta.It's a great way to finish a great season,McIlroy said.I feel like I can improve in different areas of the game still.
McIlroy related that he felt ill for a few days.The desert sun got to him,but he took a few things for it and soldiered on,notching five consecutive birdies on the final holes,as witnessed by a substantial crowd of hardy fans.
Besides DP World,sponsors of the tournament included CNN;BMW;and Rolex.Jumeirah Golf Estates is comprised of two neighbourhoods,Fire and Earth,of European style villas in the New Dubai area,just beyond the skyline.The hilly topography surrounding the Estates suggests the Mediterranean.Existing villas are going for approximately 1.8-3.5 million dollars US.

European Tour Ends In Dubai

The Dubai World Championship ended the golf year for the European Tour this past weekend.Only the heat reminded one it was a desert location.The Jumeirah Golf Estates Earth course has no sand to speak of-just the ordinary bunker sand.The rest of the course is grass,trees and wood chips,with a lake to cool things off visually.
Ironically,the golfer from the coldest country,Robert Karlsson of Sweden,did the best in Dubai,winning the tournament in a second playoff with England's Ian Poulter.Poulter faltered when his first shot landed in the wood chips.After a lackluster second shot,he then made an error when he dropped his ball on top of its marker,incurring a one-shot penalty.
It was Karlsson's 11th career victory and Sweden's 6th win of the season.Overall winner of the Race to Dubai,as the European Tour is also known,was Germany's Martin Kaymer.Karlsson was awarded a golden scepter for a trophy.
Sponsors of the tournament included DP World,Emirates Air and Rolex.
Jumeirah Golf Estates has an oasis ambiance,with grass and trees throughout the luxury development.There are four golf courses.