Featured Players
Ernie Els (host of the event)
Former World No. 1 Ernie Els shaped a generation of golf with a game defined by elegance, consistency and success at the highest level.
Known as “The Big Easy” for his effortless swing, the South African won four Major Championships and recorded more than 70 professional victories worldwide during a career that earned him induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame.
He returns this week as host of the inaugural Portugal Invitational and designer of The Els Club Vilamoura, a course that reflects his vision for the modern game.
Miguel Ángel Jiménez
Miguel Ángel Jiménez has been a constant presence in professional golf across multiple generations.
A winner of 21 European Tour titles and a member of victorious European Ryder Cup teams, he has built a career defined by longevity and success.
On and off the course, he has become one of golf’s most charismatic personalities, renowned for his relaxed demeanour, his trademark cigars, and his unwavering focus when it is time to compete.
David Duval
David Duval was one of the defining figures in world golf at the turn of the millennium.
A former World No. 1 and winner of The Open Championship in 2001, the American claimed 13 PGA TOUR titles and 20 professional victories worldwide between 1997 and 2001.
Renowned for the precision and consistency of his game, he left a lasting mark on one of the most competitive eras in modern golf.
Bernhard Langer
Bernhard Langer’s career is a testament to discipline, longevity and sustained excellence.
A former World No. 1 and two-time Masters champion, the German has amassed more than 120 professional victories worldwide across five decades of competition, including a record 47 PGA TOUR Champions titles.
Decades after his earliest successes, his approach to the game remains unchanged, characterised by the focus, precision and consistency that have defined one of golf’s most remarkable careers.
Mark Calcavecchia
Mark Calcavecchia enjoyed a career defined by longevity, consistency and success at the highest level of the game.
Winner of The Open Championship in 1989, the American recorded 29 professional victories worldwide, including 13 PGA TOUR titles, and reached a career-high ranking of World No. 5.
Renowned for his competitive spirit and natural shot-making ability, he remained a regular contender across several decades of professional golf.
More than thirty years after lifting the Claret Jug at Royal Troon, Calcavecchia continues to be recognised as one of the most accomplished players of his generation.
Justin Leonard
From Major championships to international team events, Justin Leonard built a career defined by success on golf’s biggest stages.
Winner of The Open Championship in 1997 and a 12-time PGA TOUR champion, he also played a key role in multiple Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup teams for the United States.
His record reflects a player who consistently performed at the highest level of the game.
Pádraig Harrington
Pádraig Harrington’s approach to golf has long been grounded in analysis and constant refinement.
A three-time Major champion, with victories at The Open Championship in 2007 and 2008 and the PGA Championship in 2008, the Irishman has recorded more than 40 professional wins worldwide and earned a place in the World Golf Hall of Fame.
His career reflects a relentless commitment to improvement, a quality that continues to shape his game and sustains his success at the highest level.
Stewart Cink
Stewart Cink’s career has been marked by resilience and consistency over time.
A former winner of The Open Championship, the American has recorded 24 professional victories worldwide, including eight PGA TOUR titles and multiple successes on the PGA TOUR Champions.
He also represented the United States in five Ryder Cups and four Presidents Cups, reflecting a career built on sustained excellence at the highest level.
His success continues to be shaped by experience, composure and a steady approach to the game.
Darren Clarke
Darren Clarke’s victory at The Open Championship in 2011 was the crowning achievement of a career that has spanned more than three decades and included 29 professional victories worldwide.
A five-time Ryder Cup player and the first Northern Irishman to captain Europe in the competition, he has long been regarded as one of golf’s most respected and influential figures.
Zach Johnson
Zach Johnson has built his career on discipline and an unwavering competitive spirit.
A two-time Major champion, the American has recorded 28 professional victories worldwide, including 12 PGA TOUR titles.
A veteran of five Ryder Cups and four Presidents Cups, he has consistently excelled on golf’s biggest stages.
His success reflects a player whose resilience and commitment to the fundamentals have defined a distinguished career.
Tom Lehman
Tom Lehman’s career is defined by perseverance, consistency, and success across multiple eras of professional golf.
A former World No. 1 and winner of The Open Championship in 1996, the American has recorded 35 professional victories worldwide, including 12 on the PGA TOUR Champions.
The only player to be named Player of the Year on the Korn Ferry Tour, PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions, Lehman has built a legacy founded on resilience, longevity and excellence at every stage of the game.
Colin Montgomerie
Colin Montgomerie established himself as one of the defining figures of European golf.
A World Golf Hall of Fame member, the Scotsman won 54 professional tournaments worldwide, including 31 European Tour titles and a record eight European Tour Order of Merit crowns.
Renowned for his Ryder Cup legacy, he represented Europe in eight consecutive editions before captaining the team to victory in 2010.
His achievements have secured his place among the most accomplished players of his generation.
Retief Goosen
Retief Goosen built one of the most accomplished careers of his generation through consistency, composure and success on golf’s biggest stages.
A two-time U.S. Open champion, winning in 2001 and 2004, the South African recorded more than 40 professional victories worldwide and spent over 250 weeks inside the world’s top ten, reaching a career-high ranking of World No. 3.
A member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, Goosen became renowned for his calm demeanour under pressure, earning a reputation as one of the game’s most effective competitors.