Portugal Golf

Portugal Makes Its Mark at the French Pitch & Putt Open

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Hugo Espírito Santo and Tomás Ribeiro excel at a wet and competitive weekend near Lyon

The 22nd Open International de France de Pitch & Putt brought 71 players to UGOLF Mionnay, just 20 kilometres north of Lyon, for three rounds across the 8th to 10th of May. Portugal sent a four-man contingent — and came away with a podium finish.

Though it was not the biggest tournament in the golf calendar, it was, exactly the kind of result that reminds you how broad and deep the game runs beneath the surface of the DP World Tour. (Federação Portuguesa de Golfe)

Open International de France

Third Place in Testing Conditions

Hugo Espírito Santo, representing Quinta das Lágrimas, and Tomás Ribeiro of Paredes Golf Club closed with a combined total of 144 shots, 18 under par, to share third place. The final round was played in persistent rain, with the top seven players separated by just two shots entering the day — conditions that test patience as much as technique.

Espírito Santo, a former champion of this event in 2023, showed the composure of a player who has been here before. Ribeiro matched him card for card, returning three identical rounds of 48 — a consistency that is harder to achieve than it looks across 54 holes of strokeplay.

The Winner and the Field

The title went to Noa Auch-Roy, a young French player from the host club, who posted a composed 47-47-47 for 141, 21 under par — three shots clear of the field and arguably the performance of the weekend. The runner-up spot went to Spaniard José Maria Ortiz, the defending champion from the 2025 edition at Le Puy-en-Velay, on 143.

The field of 71 also included players from the Netherlands, Italy, Algeria, and Benin — a reminder that Pitch & Putt has a genuinely international following, particularly across southern Europe, where the format has been growing steadily for two decades.

The Other Portuguese Results

Portugal Pitch and Putt Team
Matteo Balzer, playing out of Amendoeira Golf Resort in the Algarve, finished a creditable sixth on 148, 14 under par. Arnaldo Paredes of Quinta das Lágrimas closed in 13th on 160, two under. Four Portuguese starters, four finishers — and three of them inside the top fifteen. By any measure, a strong showing for the national squad on foreign soil.

A Format Worth Knowing

Pitch & Putt is played on a par-54 course, with holes typically ranging from 40 to 90 metres. Every shot is either a pitch or a putt — no drivers, no long irons, no excuses. The format strips the game back to its most transferable skills: touch, trajectory, and reading a green. Portugal has a long tradition in the discipline, and the Algarve in particular has produced players capable of competing at the highest international level.

For the visiting golfer, it is also worth knowing that many of the region’s leading resorts offer Pitch & Putt facilities alongside their full-length layouts — a useful option on a rest day, or for travelling companions who are new to the game.

The Algarve remains one of Europe’s most versatile golf destinations, with courses and formats to suit every level. Whether you are chasing a competitive round on one of the region’s championship layouts, or looking for something more relaxed, Tee Times Golf Holidays can put together a package that fits — tee times, hotels, and transfers all taken care of.

Portugal Shines in Time Out’s Top 10 Most Beautiful Places in the World

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Portugal has a habit of turning up on lists like this. This time, it is Time Out doing the honours — and the Douro Valley has landed in the top five of the world’s most beautiful places.

The List

The magazine’s ranking of 51 destinations was assembled by an international network of travel editors and writers. Each place was selected for its scenic beauty, cultural distinctiveness, and visual impact. The Douro Valley came in at number four, sitting alongside entries from Spain, Indonesia, the United States, and England. Not bad company. (Idealista)

Vale de Oura Vinyards

Why the Douro

The region combines terraced vineyards, a winding river, and historic hillside villages into a composition that is genuinely difficult to rival. The terraces alone — hand-carved into steep mountainsides over centuries — create a visual drama that shifts with every season. At harvest time, the whole valley turns gold.

The Alto Douro Wine Region has held UNESCO World Heritage status since 2001, recognised as a living cultural landscape. That designation matters. This is a place shaped by human hands, yet it never feels anything less than wild.

The Golf

The Douro Valley does not have courses carved into its slopes — the terrain has other ideas — but it sits at the centre of one of Portugal’s most rewarding golfing regions. Porto is the natural base, less than two hours from the valley, and the courses clustered around the city are well worth the journey in their own right.

Oporto Golf Course Seafront

Oporto Golf Club is the oldest in Portugal, established in 1890 by British residents who clearly had their priorities in order. It is a links-influenced course set close to the sea at Espinho, with small, fast greens and a wind that rarely takes a day off. Estela Golf Club, a few kilometres to the north, is cut from similar cloth — a traditional seaside layout with narrow fairways, elevated greens, and the kind of conditions that reward ball-striking over heroics.

For something altogether different, Vidago Palace Golf sits around an hour and a half east of Porto, deep in the Trás-os-Montes hills. Originally designed by Mackenzie Ross in 1936 and rebuilt to USGA specification, it is one of the most characterful courses in the country — a parkland layout set within a grand spa estate, and the sort of place that earns a second visit.

Vidago Golf Course Autumn

A Douro break, then, is not simply a wine trip with a round attached. It is a genuine golf destination with a landscape that happens to be ranked among the four most beautiful on the planet.

Browse our Oporto golf holidays and find the right combination of courses, hotel, and valley time.

Portugal — Still Making Headlines

Rio de Oura Waterfront

The Douro’s recognition is not an isolated moment. At the 2025 World Travel Awards, Madeira was named Europe’s Best Island Destination, Porto took Europe’s Best City Destination, and Lisbon claimed Europe’s Best City Break Destination. Portugal, it seems, is not planning to leave the front page any time soon. (Turismo de Portugal)

For golfers yet to explore the country as a whole, the full range of Portugal golf holidays covers everything from the Algarve south coast to the Atlantic-facing links of the north.

The Douro is beautiful. The golf is excellent. The two rarely need much further convincing.

When 19,000 Golfers Chase One Dream — and Portugal Hosts the Finale

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A tenth edition on new shores

The Porsche Golf Cup World Final has a new home. After nine editions in Mallorca, it came to Portugal — to Penha Longa Atlantic Course and Oitavos Dunes, two of the finest courses in the country. To get here, 71 golfers outlasted nearly 19,000 competitors across 240 qualifying tournaments in 20 countries. Only the best make it to the World Final. This year, the best came to Portugal. (Golf Business News)

Porsche Golf Cup Finalists

A Worthy Stage

Penha Longa Atlantic Course and Oitavos Dunes are two of the most respected layouts in Iberia. Penha Longa climbs and tumbles through forested hillsides west of Lisbon, demanding patience as much as precision. Oitavos Dunes plays along the Atlantic coast with the wind as a permanent third opponent — it consistently ranks among the finest courses in Europe, and on its day it proves the point. Together, they did the occasion full justice.

Germany take the team title

The most coveted prize of the week, the World Final Team Trophy, went to Team Germany for the very first time. They edged out Team Chinese Taipei in second and Team Mexico in third, with all three podium sides honoured at a festive gala on the closing evening. It was a particularly emotional victory — Team Germany had only qualified some three weeks before the event. (Porsche Newsroom)

Germany Porsche Cup Winners

The individual honours

Charlotte Wille of Team Germany took the women’s gross title and contributed decisively to her team’s Trophy win, making her the standout performer of the week. The men’s gross went to Claes Nilsson of Team Sweden, who posted a 3-under-par score on the opening day at Penha Longa and never looked back. (Porsche Newsroom)

More than a scorecard

What distinguishes the Porsche Golf Cup World Final from a standard amateur tournament is the atmosphere surrounding it. A dedicated Players’ Lounge at Penha Longa served as the gathering point between rounds for all 154 guests. Gala evenings, a separate tournament for non-playing guests, and Porsche Cayenne Electric test drives along the coastal roads of the Portuguese Riviera — the week was designed to be remembered long after the scorecards were handed in. (Porsche Newsroom)

Porsche Golf Cup on the Course

What it says about Portugal

The choice of Portugal over Mallorca for the tenth edition was not accidental. The courses here are world-class. Oitavos Dunes consistently ranks among the finest in Europe. Penha Longa offers something rarer still — a genuine test that rewards local knowledge as much as raw talent. When events of this calibre start choosing Portugal, it tells you something.

The Algarve and the Lisbon region between them offer more than 60 courses at every level. Whether you are chasing your own personal final or simply the round of your life, Tee Times Golf Holidays can put together a golf break that delivers.