Could Portugal’s New PGA Tour Champions Event Be Your Next Golf Escape
By: Fin Tait | Edited: Fri 01 Aug 2025
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Officials from PGA TOUR Champions, Arrow Global Group, Turismo de Portugal and Turismo de Algarve announced a five-year partnership to host a new professional golf tournament in Portugal at The Els Club Vilamoura designed by Ernie Els.
The Portugal Invitational will debut the week of July 27, 2026, and will feature a field of 78 players, including World Golf Hall of Fame and PGA TOUR Champions members, as well as Legends Tour members.
“We are thrilled to partner with Arrow Global Group, Turismo de Portugal, Turismo de Algarve and Ernie Els to announce this exciting, first-of-its-kind PGA TOUR Champions event in Portugal,” said PGA TOUR Champions President Miller Brady.
“This Tour is a global showcase of the game’s legendary players, and we know the great golf fans in Portugal and throughout Europe will welcome the opportunity to watch them compete in person at The Els Club Vilamoura.”
The Els Club is a highly regarded club in the Algarve, having been redeveloped, opening in 2025 after hosting the DP World Tour’s Portugal Masters from 2007 through 2022.
“Whenever our firm designs a golf course, we always have an eye on what makes it a successful tournament venue, so this was always a big part of our plans for The Els Club Vilamoura. It’s wonderful to see those plans now coming to fruition,” said Els, course designer and seven-time PGA Tour champions winner.
This new event will join the already extensive list of golf events that already take place in Portugal. The Algarve is already known for its pristine courses and world class golf resorts, regarded by many as the world's capital of golf holidays.
“Portugal has increasingly become a world-class destination for major international sporting events and welcoming PGA TOUR Champions is a natural next step in that journey,” said Carlos Abade, President of Turismo de Portugal. “This tournament will not only showcase the excellence of our golf courses but also the beauty, culture, and hospitality that make Portugal a unique destination year-round. We are proud to be part of this initiative and look forward to welcoming players and fans from around the world to the Algarve.
“Hosting the Portugal Invitational in Vilamoura is a historic milestone for the Algarve and for Portugal. This partnership with PGA TOUR Champions further raises our destination’s international profile and confirms the Algarve as an essential reference point in European golf."
All three rounds of the Portugal Invitational will be televised on GOLF Channel, the exclusive cable-television partner of PGA TOUR Champions. Internationally, PGA TOUR Champions coverage is available in more than 170 countries and territories via 22 media partners.
The Portugal Invitational will also include members of the Legends Tour through the Strategic Alliance between the PGA TOUR and the European Tour Group (DP World Tour, Hotelplanner Tour, Legends Tour and Ryder Cup Europe).
The course sits just a short drive from the centre of Vilamoura, meaning it is in the perfect location to visit as part of your next golf break in the Algarve combining playing golf and watching some of the great's compete in this new PGA Tour Champions event.
With a variety of world class courses and resorts within the Vilamoura area, as well as plenty of things to see and do in and around the Algarve, could this be the perfect golf escape?
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About the author
Fin Tait is a sports journalism graduate and emerging golf writer for Golfshake. Originally from Sheffield, he brings a fresh perspective shaped by a passion for both playing and following the professional game. Fin enjoys early morning rounds and is focused on improving his own performance, working towards consistent scoring milestones. His writing blends personal experience with a growing knowledge of courses, travel, and the evolving landscape of modern golf.
Tags: vilamoura The Algarve pga tour champions golf vacation golf travel
