The Portugal Invitational and the Portuguese Golf Federation (FPG) joined forces during tournament week at The Els Club Vilamoura to give 23 young golfers from across the Algarve the opportunity to learn from PGA TOUR Champions players and experience the event from the inside.
Juniors from four local clubs – Espiche Golf, Quinta do Lago, Vila Sol and Vilamoura – were invited to experience tournament week from inside the ropes and meet Ben Crane, Dicky Pride and Darren Fichhardt ahead of the inaugural Portugal Invitational.
Their afternoon began with a tour of the tournament venue, offering the group a close-up view of how some of the world’s leading golfers prepare during tournament week. The juniors watched players practise across the putting green, short-game area and driving range before joining Crane, Pride and Fichhardt for an informal Q&A session.
The conversation covered everything from life as a professional golfer and the players’ own experiences growing up in the game to the first clubs they used and the challenges of dealing with mistakes and pressure in competition.
The three professionals also shared lessons that extended beyond technique, speaking about perseverance, discipline, confidence and resilience, and encouraging the juniors to learn from the challenges they encounter both on and off the course.
The group then moved to the driving range for a practical session, where Crane, Pride and Fichhardt worked with the juniors, offering technical advice and encouragement and sharing their experience from careers at the highest level of the game.
The afternoon concluded with photographs and autographs, giving the 23 juniors a lasting memory of their visit to The Els Club Vilamoura.
The initiative, delivered by the Portugal Invitational and the FPG, reflects the tournament’s ambition to make an impact beyond the competition itself by connecting the next generation of Portuguese golfers with some of the most experienced players in the sport during the first PGA TOUR Champions event held in Portugal.
