Paul Broadhurst will this week try to match Tiger Woods' achievement last Sunday by winning a European Tour event three years in a row when he defends his Portuguese Open title.

That, however, should not detract from what a notable feat it would be by the 41-year-old former Ryder Cup golfer, who just five years ago was fighting for his future at the qualifying school.

Prior to Woods achieving his hat-trick at the co-sanctioned CA World Championship in Miami three wins in succession at a tournament had been done a mere four times on the circuit.

Ian Woosnam was the first in Monte Carlo in 1990-92, followed by Nick Faldo at the Irish Open in 1991-93, Colin Montgomerie at the PGA Championship at Wentworth in 1998-2000 and then Woods at the NEC Invitational in Akron in 1999-2001.

Broadhurst retained the title at Penina last April, but now it is back to the Oitavos course near Estoril on which he ended a decade without a victory 12 months earlier.

That week saw one of the most dramatic finishes in Tour history. Paul Lawrie was leading when he ran up a triple bogey seven on the 17th, leaving Barry Lane one ahead of Broadhurst, who thought his chance had gone when he closed with a bogey.

Lane, though, found a bush with his final drive, went out of bounds with his third and took a nightmare quintuple bogey nine to crash to fifth place.

Last year was less harrowing, but eventful again. Broadhurst, three ahead with six to play, double-bogeyed the 13th, birdied the next, but then bogeyed the 17th to fall into a tie with Anthony Wall.

Having posted his total Wall could only watch as Broadhurst, just off the green in two at Penina's closing par five, chipped to two feet for victory.

Challenging Broadhurst for the title will be Paul McGinley, competing on European soil for the first time since last October. Damien McGrane, Peter Lawrie and Gary Murphy are also in the field while David Higgins is on the standby list.