Head Greenkeeper Luís Pinto reveals the work behind preparing Portugal’s newest championship venue for the inaugural Portugal Invitational
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Vilamoura, Algarve, July 28 2026 – The Portugal Invitational marks the biggest milestone so far for The Els Club Vilamoura, but for Head Greenkeeper Luís Pinto it is also the culmination of more than two years of work. Having joined the project while the course was still under construction, he now faces the challenge of preparing Ernie Els’ first private golf club in Europe for its biggest test yet.
As PGA TOUR Champions arrives in Europe for the first time, Pinto and his team are responsible for ensuring the course delivers both the presentation and competitive test expected from a world-class tournament venue. “It’s a great feeling to finally have the tournament here,” said Pinto. None of this would be possible without the dedication and professionalism of the entire greenkeeping team. “Everybody is excited, we’re super happy, the team is happy, and we want to have a good week.”
That moment carries particular significance for a greenkeeper whose career has already given him extensive experience of tournament golf at the highest level. Pinto spent two years working at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 2015 and 2016, gaining experience at one of the PGA TOUR’s most established tournament venues. His connection with the club continued in the years that followed, returning as a volunteer for the 2017 and 2025 PGA Championship and also for the 2022 Presidents Cup.
Back in Portugal, Pinto built a strong career in course management that included roles at Monte Rei Golf & Country Club and, later, as Head Greenkeeper at Ombria Resort, before joining The Els Club Vilamoura project in 2024. That combination of experience at established tournament venues and in the development of new golf courses has helped shape the approach now being taken in Vilamoura, where technology and data are increasingly central to daily course management.
One of the most significant innovations is the introduction of TurfRad, with The Els Club Vilamoura becoming the first golf course in Portugal to implement the technology. Sensors mounted on maintenance machinery take readings as they move across the fairways, generating data that can be connected with the course’s irrigation software.
The data helps the agronomy team optimise irrigation decisions, allowing water applications to be adjusted with greater precision. “On the fairways, we use TurfRad, which is a sensor that goes on the machine. Every time the machine is working, it’s taking readings. 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.”
On the greens, the team uses POGO sensors to take individual moisture readings and determine watering requirements with greater precision. The technology gives Pinto and his team greater control over how water is applied across the property and provides another example of the role data can play in combining performance with sustainability and more efficient course management.
That precision has been particularly important in preparing a recently developed golf course for its first PGA TOUR Champions event. Since joining The Els Club Vilamoura during construction in 2024, Pinto and his team have been closely involved in every stage of the course’s development, making this week the culmination of more than two years of detailed work.
The preparations have combined agronomic expertise, technology and long-term planning to deliver championship conditions while maintaining a sustainable approach to course management.
The final days before competition have brought an even greater level of attention, with the greenkeeping team focused on fine-tuning every element of the playing surfaces: “A lot of hand-watering, a lot of mowing and a lot of long days,” Pinto said when asked how tournament preparation compares with a normal week.
The objective is not simply to present The Els Club Vilamoura at its best, but to ensure its playing characteristics provide a suitable examination for a 78-player field featuring some of the most accomplished golfers of their generation.
For Pinto, green speed will be one of the course’s principal defences. “Everybody talks about green speed. We want fast greens,” he said. The bunkers will provide another important element, while the Algarve wind has the potential to transform the challenge from one day to the next.
Pinto expects the prevailing southerly wind to play a significant role if it blows as anticipated and points to the par-three 14th as the hole most likely to test the field. “If the wind is blowing as it’s supposed to normally here, 14 should be the most challenging hole,” said Pinto. “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.”
Course presentation this week has also been influenced by the man whose name sits above the clubhouse door. Ernie Els has remained involved in how his design should play at tournament level, with the yardages for the Portugal Invitational established with his input and the agronomy team continuing to work with the course architects on adjustments to the setup.
That collaboration extends to the finer details of the course, including the bunker surrounds and native areas, where presentation and playability are carefully balanced to remain true to Els’ original design.
For Pinto, that balance is central to the tournament setup: fast greens, well-defined bunkers, firm playing surfaces and strong presentation combining to create a course that is both visually distinctive and demanding in competition.
Els himself will experience that challenge when he joins the field this week. His familiarity with his own design may provide some additional insight, but Pinto’s objective is to ensure that every player finds a course that is enjoyable, fair and demanding.
“For us, it’s important for the players to enjoy playing the course, but also for it to be a challenge,” Pinto 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.”
And if Pinto could choose the number beside the inaugural Portugal Invitational champion’s name on Sunday evening? “Ten to 12-under on Sunday would be perfect.”
Beyond the course itself, the inaugural Portugal Invitational has brought together a strong network of partners and broadcasters, helping to give the tournament a significant platform from its very first edition. Arrow Global, Vilamoura, Visit Portugal and Visit Algarve are joined by Mercedes-Benz, Kress, Reflo, Dils, Deloitte, Lusíadas Saúde, Loulé, Heritage Wines, Heineken, Nespresso, Pacheca, Vista Alegre and InfraMoura.
Media partners include SIC Notícias, Expresso, Sport TV and JCDecaux. Their support provides a strong platform for the tournament’s debut and helps build momentum for the continued growth of the Portugal Invitational in the years ahead.
All three rounds will be televised in the United States on GOLF Channel. International PGA TOUR Champions coverage is available in more than 170 countries and territories through the Tour’s network of media partners.
The first round begins this Friday, 31 July, with the inaugural Portugal Invitational champion set to be crowned on Sunday, 2 August.
For more information about the Portugal Invitational, including tickets and the latest tournament updates, visit https://www.portugalinvitational.com/
