As the PGA TOUR Champions makes its European debut, The Els Club Vilamoura is ready to welcome one of the strongest fields ever assembled in Portugal
— July 29
Some of the biggest names in golf will tee up in the Algarve this week as the inaugural Portugal Invitational brings the PGA TOUR Champions to the country for the first time. Taking place at The Els Club Vilamoura from July 31 to August 2, the tournament is also the first PGA TOUR-sanctioned individual stroke play event ever to be held in Portugal, marking a landmark moment for national golf.
The 78-player field, representing 17 countries, features five World Golf Hall of Fame members, six Ryder Cup captains and 18 former Ryder Cup players. Tournament host Ernie Els will be joined by Pádraig Harrington, Bernhard Langer, Miguel Ángel Jiménez, Colin Montgomerie, Darren Clarke, Retief Goosen, Stewart Cink, Zach Johnson, Justin Leonard, K.J. Choi, Steven Alker and Tom Lehman. Collectively, the competitors have amassed 224 PGA TOUR victories, 247 PGA TOUR Champions wins, 20 Major championships and 44 senior Major titles, making this one of the strongest fields ever assembled on Portuguese soil.
“We are absolutely thrilled with the strength and quality of the field for the Portugal Invitational. The response from players has been tremendous,” said tournament director Todd Rhinehart.
A landmark moment for Portugal
The Portugal Invitational forms part of a five-year partnership between the PGA TOUR Champions, Arrow Global Group, Turismo de Portugal and Turismo do Algarve, with the ambition of establishing the tournament as a fixture on the international golfing calendar.
“This has been a real team effort from the beginning, and I’m incredibly proud to see everything come together,” said Ernie Els, who both hosts the tournament and designed The Els Club Vilamoura. “I’ve known and loved this area for more than 20 years, so to have the opportunity to create a championship golf course here, whilst also making it enjoyable for members and players of every level, has been very special. I’m very excited about what this event can become over the coming years.”
For André Gomes, president of Turismo do Algarve, the event reinforces the region’s standing as a world-class golfing destination.
“Hosting the European debut of PGA TOUR Champions is a major milestone for the Algarve and a strong recognition of our region as one of the world’s leading golf destinations. This event brings together sport, tourism and international promotion, whilst showcasing everything the Algarve has to offer on and off the golf course,” he said.
Preparing a championship venue
Whilst the world’s golfing elite prepares to compete, another team has spent more than two years getting The Els Club Vilamoura ready for its biggest test. Head greenkeeper Luís Pinto joined the project whilst the course was still under construction in 2024 and has overseen every stage of its development into a championship venue.
Before arriving in Vilamoura, Pinto gained valuable tournament experience at Quail Hollow Club in North Carolina (USA), later returning for two PGA Championships and a Presidents Cup. In Portugal, he also held senior roles at Monte Rei Golf & Country Club and Ombria Resort.
“It’s a great feeling to finally have the tournament here,” Pinto said. “None of this would be possible without the dedication of the entire greenkeeping team. Everybody is excited, we’re super happy, the team is happy, and we want to have a good week.”
One of the innovations helping prepare the course is TurfRad, making The Els Club Vilamoura the first golf course in Portugal to use the technology. Sensors mounted on maintenance machinery collect data across the fairways and communicate directly with the irrigation software, allowing water to be applied precisely where it is needed. The greens are monitored separately using POGO sensors, enabling the agronomy team to optimise course conditions whilst improving water efficiency.
“Every time the machine is working, it’s taking readings,” Pinto explained. “That connects to the irrigation software and adjusts the irrigation for us. The machine tells us, ‘OK, we need more here, less here,’ and then we can adjust the irrigation. It’s very new and we are the first golf course in Portugal using it.”
The final challenge
As tournament week arrives, the focus shifts from technology to the finer details. “A lot of hand-watering, a lot of mowing and a lot of long days,” Pinto said of the final preparations.
Working alongside Ernie Els and the course architects, Pinto’s team has refined everything from bunker presentation to tournament yardages. Fast greens, strategically placed hazards and the Algarve’s prevailing southerly wind are all expected to influence scoring.
“If the wind is blowing as it’s supposed to normally here, 14 should be the most challenging hole,” Pinto said. “It’s a challenging par-three and the wind plays a big role. There’s a lot of water, a lot of sand and a lot of bunkers.”
For Pinto, however, the measure of success will not simply be immaculate presentation but creating a course that is both enjoyable and demanding. “For us, it’s important for the players to enjoy playing the course, but also for it to be a challenge,” he said. “Not only to enjoy the course; it needs to challenge you. We’re hoping to have good feedback from the players and, at the same time, that the scores are not very low.”
Asked what would constitute the ideal winning score, his answer was immediate: “Ten to 12-under on Sunday would be perfect.”
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