ALGARVE, Portugal — For the first time in its history, the PGA Tour Champions ventured to Portugal in July, giving players, caddies and their families the chance to experience one of Europe’s premier summer destinations.

Set along the sun-drenched Algarve coast, the week’s competition offered more than just golf, blending championship play with picturesque beaches, ocean views and the laid-back charm that has made the region a favorite among international travelers.

For many in the field, it was a rare opportunity to combine work and vacation, soaking in Portugal’s coastal lifestyle while marking a milestone stop for the senior circuit.

But for Ernie Els, Portugal has long held a special place. During the years when his family lived in England, the Algarve became a favorite getaway. It offered the perfect balance: Els could spend time honing his craft while his wife and children enjoyed the region’s renowned beaches and relaxed atmosphere.

Nearby Praia da Falesia, in fact, has since earned recognition as one of the world’s premier beaches.

And long before he became a four-time major champion, Els grew up idolizing Arnold Palmer from afar. So when the opportunity arose to renovate one of Palmer’s designs, Portugal’s Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course, he embraced it immediately.

The project, however, came with a profound sense of responsibility. Reimagining a course bearing Palmer’s signature meant honoring one of the game’s most influential figures while helping shape the venue’s future.

That longstanding affection for the Algarve is evident throughout the revamped and reimagined Els Club Vilamoura property that saw Zach Johnson outlast pal Stewart Cink for the title. The course reflects not only Palmer’s enduring influence but also Els’ connection to a region he has visited for decades.

Now, as the Algarve’s first private golf club, the venue represents both a fresh chapter for golf in Portugal and a personal homecoming of sorts for Els.

And of course, Els has been a staple on PGA Tour Champions, winning seven times, including one major, the 2024 Kaulig Companies Championship.

While the club occupies rarefied air, it is far from the Algarve’s only golf draw. The region has steadily emerged as one of Europe’s premier golf destinations, pairing world-class courses with stunning coastlines, luxury resorts and a year-round climate that keeps visitors coming back.

Veterans such as Els and other Europeans have long understood the Algarve’s appeal, but Americans are only beginning to discover what their counterparts across the Atlantic have known for decades: This corner of Portugal offers a compelling blend of championship golf, relaxed coastal living and unforgettable travel experiences.

“When people put their feet down here in Portugal, they’re going to fall in love with it,” Els said. “There’s not a cloud in the sky this time of the year. Other places in the United States, the West Coast of the United States, this is very much West Coast of the United States climate-wise, vegetation-wise. The food here’s unbelievable. The local people really enjoy us here.

“All in all, just come, you’ll see why we like it so much. That’s all I can say.”

Els Club Vilamoura is overhaul from previous course

Since the redesign, one nine follows much of its original corridor, refreshed through strategic refinements and updated design features, while the other has been completely reimagined, reversing the course’s former routing and giving the layout an entirely new feel.

“It was an old Arnold Palmer golf course, one of my heroes. That put a lot of attention on us because you don’t want to screw up a great Arnold Palmer golf course either, but we also needed to put out a great one, which Arrow gave us the leeway for,” Els said. “So we went to work. The foot was right down, accelerator was down all the time. We had a budget to work with. Finally, me and John (Calvao, Arrow Global’s co-founder and head of real estate and hospitality) laugh about it because it was a moving target, but we got into the budget eventually, so we were very proud of that.

“I think we have a really good product.”

Among the standout holes is the demanding par-5 11th, where length and decision-making are equally important, and the picturesque par-4 16th, which skirts one of the property’s many lakes and offers little margin for error.

With few trees or natural barriers to blunt the elements, The Els Club is especially vulnerable to the Algarve winds. When the breezes rise, the course can become a formidable test, even for the game’s top senior professionals.

Yet the layout remains approachable thanks to its flexible teeing options, allowing golfers of all abilities to find a suitable challenge, as long as they avoid the plentiful water hazards that lurk throughout the round.

Grasses in native areas have been left to bloom, adding a striking contrast and formidable obstacle.

Although the previous iteration of the course hosted the Portugal Masters on the DP World Tour from 2007 to 2022, with Harrington, Lee Westwood and Shane Lowry among the winners, that course closed in 2023, shortly after Arrow Global acquired five golf courses and three hotels within the Vilamoura resort.

PGA Tour Champions president Miller Brady said that the absence left a perfect fit for his circuit.

“For the Champions Tour to play our first-ever event, a PGA Tour-sanctioned event in Portugal, was a no-brainer, right? We knew it would be great,” Brady said. “We knew we had tremendous partners not only in tourism but in Arrow Global. And what they’re investing in this area is amazing and it’s great for us to see it, and it’s great for us to see this event come to life, right?”

Algarve region continues to emerge as golf destination

Among the dignitaries attending the tournament’s opening press conference was André Gomes, president of the Algarve Tourism Board, underscoring the event’s importance to one of Europe’s premier leisure destinations.

Known for its dramatic coastline, sun-soaked beaches and world-class golf courses, the Algarve has long attracted travelers from across Europe. In recent years, however, the region has expanded its reach, emerging as an increasingly popular destination for American visitors seeking a blend of championship golf, luxury resorts and seaside charm.

“It’s the comeback of the Algarve to the international events on golf. The Algarve, in fact, has a long and successful history of golf. We have, as you see, world-class courses, excellent hotels, year-round sunshine, strong activity,” Gomes said.

“Players, fans, visitors, families will find here for sure not only great golf but also outstanding hospitality, our beaches, nature, culture, everything that we have to offer and the quality of life we have here at the Algarve.”

Other golf courses in the Algarve you can't miss

While the Els Club is the shiny new toy in the Algarve’s treasure trove, there are plenty of courses that will scratch your golfing itch before heading off for seafood in a beachfront cafe.

Monte Rei Golf & Country Club North Course

Portugal’s Algarve region has long been blessed with an embarrassment of golfing riches, but for years the Jack Nicklaus-designed Monte Rei Golf & Country Club North Course stood apart as the standard against which the rest were measured.

Widely regarded as one of Europe’s finest layouts, this 18 earned its reputation through exceptional architecture and pristine conditioning.

In recent summers, however, irrigation issues led to patches of discoloration that slightly diminished its luster. Those concerns are now firmly in the rearview mirror.

Following a comprehensive five-month renovation, all 18 greens have been rebuilt and the irrigation system completely modernized, restoring Monte Rei to its former glory and positioning it once again among the elite courses not only in Portugal, but across the continent.

Old Course Vilamoura

If Monte Rei represents the Algarve’s luxury side, Old Course Vilamoura captures its soul.

Opened in 1969 and nestled among towering pine trees, the course remains one of the region’s most beloved experiences. The front nine asks difficult questions from the opening tee shot and doesn’t ease up, delivering a delightful mix of challenge and charm.

No hole embodies that better than the picturesque par-3 fourth, where a pond guards a small, tree-framed green and eagerly collects anything struck less than perfectly.

The Old Course is demanding without being punishing, classic without feeling dated, and offers the kind of timeless afternoon that has kept golfers returning to the Algarve for generations.

Quinta do Lago South Course

Then there is Quinta do Lago’s South Course, a layout that was already a regional heavyweight before undergoing a transformative year-long renovation completed in 2020.

The project elevated the course from a longtime favorite to one of Portugal’s purest and most polished golfing experiences. Strategic bunkering, immaculate conditioning and a routing that takes full advantage of the surrounding landscape make every hole memorable.

Yet it is the breathtaking par-3 15th that lingers longest in the memory. As the sun begins to sink over the Algarve coastline, the scene feels almost too perfect to be real, a postcard brought to life.

The neighboring North Course is excellent in its own right, but for golfers making a single stop, the South Course is the one that simply cannot be missed.