Golf legends are coming to Vilamoura this summer

Golfing hotspot Vilamoura in Portugal is set to stage a major golfing event at the end of this month when the PGA TOUR Champions comes to town to play at the brand new Els Club.

Known as the Portugal Invitational, the fixture has attracted a star studded field including "The Big Easy" Ernie Els himself, Jose Maria Olazabal, Colin Montgomerie, Bernhard Langer, Darren Clarke, Padraig Harrington, the ever popular charismatic Miquel Angel Jimenez and a host of other household names.

Masters and Open champion, Zach Johnson, Justin Leonard, the 1997 Open champion, David Duval and Stewart Cink are among the confirmed American contingent.

It will be the first PGA TOUR Champions event to be staged in Europe on a five year partnership between the tour, the Arrow Global Group, Turismo de Portugal and Turismo de Algarve. 

It will mark the first PGA TOUR-sanctioned individual stroke play event held in Portugal. Positioned within a three-week swing of elite senior golf in Europe, the Portugal Invitational will follow the ISPS Handa Senior Open and precede the Staysure Senior PGA Championship.

The tour is a membership organisation of professional golfers aged 50 and older, including 35 members of the World Golf Hall of Fame.

With a prize purse of 3m USD, 78 players will play the 54 hole individual stroke play Portugal Invitational over July 27-August 2.

Tournament host Els, said: "The strength of the field committed to the Portugal Invitational really shows what this event means. PGA TOUR Champions represents some of the most accomplished players in the history of the game, and to see so many major champions, Ryder Cup figures and global winners coming together in Portugal is incredibly exciting not only for us as players but also for the fans."

Securing the event is a real feather in the cap for the club’s owners, Arrow Global, and the entire Algarve region.

Andre Gomes, President of Tourism Algarve said: “The Portugal Invitational reinforces the capacity of the Algarve and Vilamoura to host elite sporting events.”

John Calvao, Fund Principal at Arrow Global added: "We are transforming Vilamoura into a destination of excellence for major international sporting events, creating the conditions that position it not just as a venue but a complete high quality experience."

The Els Club Vilamoura is the only private members club in the Algarve. Formerly the Victoria Club, host of the Portugal Masters between 2007-2022, it has been completely transformed by Ernie Els Design into one of the best courses in Europe.

The rebuild started in late 2023 with new greens, bunkers and tees. Fairways were reconstructed with new irrigation and drainage, sand capped and reseeded.

The back nine routing was reversed around the lakes, new holes built and a huge all embracing practice area created.

Open to members and guests only, it elevates golf in the Algarve to the highest level, and is set to become a tournament venue of the future.

Els said: "When we designed this course, we always had the idea of staging world class tournament golf in mind, and now approaching the opening event of this stature, and being able to play it alongside so many friends and major champions, is going to be a very special moment."

General tournament admission tickets (Friday 31st July-Sunday 2nd August) are on sale, starting from €20. Three-day passes, good for each day, Friday to Sunday, are also available, starting at €80. Children 16 and under admitted for free, one child per one ticketed adult.

Pro-Am and hospitality packages are also on offer.

For more information, contact [email protected]

The Portugal Invitational will be televised in the United States on Golf Channel, the exclusive home of PGA TOUR Champions. Internationally, the transmission of the 2026 season of PGA TOUR Champions will be available in more than 170 countries and territories via 25 media partners worldwide.