Paul McGinley opens course in the Portugal’s Algarve

Fresh from his all-conquering captaincy at the Ryder Cup, Dubliner Paul McGinley was back at the grindstone in recent weeks, opening the newly revamped North Course at the Quinta do Lago resort in the Algarve in Portugal.

McGinley has worked with the course architects on the redevelopment of the golf facilities at the complex, which is owned by Denis O’Brien.

The golfer has had a fruitful partnership with the billionaire in recent years, also opening a golf academy on the Portuguese resort in 2011.

O’Brien has sunk a reported €29 million into an overhaul of Quinta do Lago in recent years, turning it into a trophy golf resort.

It must be an Irish billionaire thing: Dermot Desmond has Sandy Lane in Barbados, Michael Smurfit has the K Club. I wonder might Denis have designs on hosting the Ryder Cup at his course in future?

Another of McGinley’s collaborations with corporate Ireland was relaunched this week.

The Achimota course in Accra, Ghana took journalists on a tour this week following a $3 million (€2.35 million) McGinley-led revamp, financed by Tullow Oil.

Tullow's sports-mad chief executive Aidan Heavey is a huge golf fan. His English home is right beside Wentworth golf course, where McGinley has also shot a few course records.