Dimi Papadatos makes his maiden European Challenge Tour start in 2018 when he joins Ben Eccles as the only Australians in the field for the Portugal Open this week.

Eccles is making his third start for the season though is yet to find his feet with two missed cuts while Papadatos has been playing consistent golf on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia.

A missed third-round cut in defending his Oates Vic Open crown at 13th beach in February is the only real blemish of the season to date where he has recorded top-20 finishes in three of his four other events.

Eccles too showed decent from prior to leaving for Europe with a top-5 at the Oates Vic Open and a strong showing at the ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth.

After missing the cut by a single shot last week in Spain the Victorian’s game appears in decent shape with just some minor tweaking required.

Eccles played the inaugural staging of this event last year and acquitted himself well enough with a 5-under total and a T48 finish.