Zach Johnson takes the lead as PGA TOUR Champions makes history in Portugal – Portugal Resident

History was made at The Els Club Vilamoura on Friday (July 31) as the Portugal Invitational hosted the first-ever PGA TOUR Champions round in Europe, with 2023 US Ryder Cup Captain Zach Johnson emerging as the early leader after an eventful opening day in the Algarve.

Months of anticipation gave way to competition under picturesque conditions, with large crowds following the action around the course and a busy Fan Zone creating a vibrant atmosphere throughout the day. Spectators enjoyed a full programme of activities alongside the golf as some of the biggest names in the history of the game began their challenge for the first Portugal Invitational title.

History was made from the very first shot. While Billy Andrade, Richard Green and Tag Ridings had the honour of opening proceedings from the first tee, Jamie Donaldson, the man who secured the winning point for Europe at the 2014 Ryder Cup, had teed off moments earlier from the 10th, becoming the first player to hit a competitive shot in a PGA TOUR Champions event in Europe.

Friday also marked another significant milestone for The Els Club Vilamoura, as the venue hosted its first competitive event just over a year since its opening. With excellent playing conditions and little wind on the course designed by Els himself, the field took full advantage, and low scoring quickly became the theme of the opening round.

The Slovakian, Rory Sabbatini was among the first to set the pace. The Olympic silver medallist produced a bogey-free 65, including five birdies over his closing nine holes, to establish the early clubhouse target.

Zach Johnson, however, had other ideas. The two-time Major champion arrived in Portugal as one of the standout players of the PGA TOUR Champions season, with three victories already to his name in 2026, and made his intentions clear immediately with four birdies in his opening five holes.

One of the keys to Johnson’s round was his ability to take full advantage of The Els Club Vilamoura’s par fives, picking up shots on each of them as he continued to build momentum. He then produced one final moment of quality at the 18th, where a superb approach left him a short birdie opportunity. Johnson converted to sign for an eight-under-par 64 and take the outright lead into Saturday, one shot clear of Sabbatini and with a fourth victory of the season firmly in his sights.

Johnson was also full of praise for the course and the work carried out by Els and his team: “Ernie’s done a great job. I think the beauty of this place is that it doesn’t matter if you’re a pro, a scratch amateur or a beginner, you can still play around it. That’s hard to do and it’s a really good design,” said Johnson.

“It’s got everything – left, right, short, up, down – and it’s got character. Hats off to Ernie and his team, they did a tremendous job.”

Behind them, Ireland’s Padraig Harrington also made a strong start to his week in Portugal, signing for a six-under-par 66. He is joined at that mark by Germany’s Alex Cejka, South Korea’s Charlie Wi and Sweden’s Mikael Lundberg, with the quartet tied for third heading into Saturday’s second round.

South African Ernie Els also produced plenty for the galleries to enjoy on the course which now bears his name. The World Golf Hall of Fame member was in excellent form for much of the day and, despite a double bogey at the final hole, signed for a four-under-par 68 to remain well placed heading into Saturday.

Germany’s Bernhard Langer also made a solid start with a three-under-par opening round, while Miguel Ángel Jiménez finished the day at one-under-par. Both will look to climb the leaderboard on Saturday as a field packed with Major champions, Ryder Cup icons and some of the most successful names in senior golf continues its pursuit of the first title.

Supporting the tournament’s inaugural edition is a strong network of partners and broadcasters, helping to provide the Portugal Invitational with a significant platform from the outset. 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 began 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/