Shinnecock Hills 2026: Why the US Open Might Just Belong to Europe

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Rai holds the Wanamaker, McIlroy has back-to-back green jackets, and Rahm has a score to settle. Europe arrives at Shinnecock Hills with serious intent.

The 2026 major season is two down, two to go. And if the PGA Championship at Aronimink told us anything, it is that European golf is very much here. Aaron Rai’s victory — the first by an English-born player since 1919 — was not an upset so much as a statement. The next examination arrives on 18 June at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, New York, for the 126th US Open. (USGA)

The Venue Makes the Tournament

Shinnecock Hills Aerial View

Shinnecock Hills is one of the oldest clubs in American golf and among its most respected courses. Set on Long Island’s exposed South Fork, it plays firm, fast, and wind-affected — conditions that reward precision over power and patience over instinct. It is, in other words, a course that thinks like a European links. Players who have spent formative years on the Atlantic-facing layouts of Portugal and the British Isles tend to arrive at Shinnecock better equipped than the odds would suggest. (Shinnecock Hills Golf Club)

The Europeans to Watch

Jon Rahm arrives at Shinnecock with a score to settle. Runner-up at Augusta, runner-up at Aronimink — the Spaniard has been the nearly man of the 2026 major season, and a player of his calibre will not stay in second place indefinitely. His ball-striking in links-adjacent conditions is among the finest in the world. The wind off Peconic Bay will not trouble him.

Jon Rahm Teeing Off at a Major

Aaron Rai arrives as reigning PGA Champion — newly exempt, freshly confident, and carrying the kind of momentum that only a first major can generate. Tommy Fleetwood and Shane Lowry, both proven performers on exposed coastal terrain, complete what is shaping up to be a genuinely formidable European contingent. Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Åberg add Scandinavian precision to the mix. Robert MacIntyre, who grew up playing into Scottish headwinds, will be entirely at home. (Golf Digest)

Aaro Rai Iron Stroke

Rory McIlroy arrives as back-to-back Masters champion — the first player to defend the green jacket since Tiger Woods in 2002. A near-miss at Aronimink, where he finished five back of Rai, does nothing to diminish what has been the most sustained period of major-championship golf of his career. The bookmakers have him second only to Scheffler. A US Open title in June would give him two of the year’s first three majors and a second at a tournament he last won at Congressional in 2011.

What Shinnecock Demands

The US Open’s reputation as the most punishing major is earned rather than manufactured. The USGA controls the pace and firmness of the course across four days to make the margin between brilliance and disaster uncomfortably thin. Players who survive tend to be those who accept the conditions rather than fight them. European golf, by and large, produces exactly that temperament.

The Links Connection

Portugal’s northwest coast is better preparation for Shinnecock Hills than it is usually given credit for. Estela Golf Club — three kilometres of Atlantic dune golf north of Porto — has hosted the Portuguese Open and drawn favourable comparisons with the links of Scotland and Ireland. A few kilometres south, Miramar Golf Club has been testing players against the nortada since 1932, its nine holes running alongside the beaches of Espinho on a layout originally designed by Mackenzie Ross. These are not resort courses. They are the kind of places that find out what a player is made of.

Estela Golf Course North Portugal

Players shaped by this kind of golf — exposed, wind-dependent, unforgiving of anything loose — tend to handle a US Open better than the rankings alone would suggest. If the European contingent makes its case at Shinnecock in June, the conditions will feel less foreign than outsiders might assume.

The courses that built that temperament are, in the meantime, available to the rest of us. Explore Porto golf holidays with Tee Times.

A Perfect Morning at Pine Cliffs Golf Course

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A review by our CEO, Mr. Carlos Ferreira — sharing his morning on one of the Algarve’s most celebrated coastal layouts.

This morning I had the pleasure of playing at the beautiful Pine Cliffs Resort golf course, and it truly reminded me why golf in the Algarve is considered among the best in Europe. From the moment the sun rose over the Atlantic coastline, the conditions were simply spectacular. Clear blue skies, warm sunshine, and a light ocean breeze created the perfect setting for an unforgettable round.

Tee Times CEO Carlos Ferreira

The course itself was presented in excellent condition. The fairways were immaculate, offering consistent lies throughout the round, while the greens were particularly impressive — fast, firm, and extremely true. Players had to be fully focused on every putt and approach shot, as the pace of the greens demanded precision and good course management. It was the kind of setup that rewards quality golf while still remaining enjoyable for players of all levels.

One of the most striking things this morning was the atmosphere around the course. There was a tremendous turnout, with close to 200 golfers enjoying the magnificent conditions throughout the day. Despite the high number of players, the pace of play remained surprisingly smooth and efficient. Our group completed the front nine in under two hours, which is excellent considering how busy the course was. Credit must go to both the players and the course management for maintaining such a good rhythm during peak conditions.

On the Green Pine Cliffs

Of course, no visit to Pine Cliffs would be complete without mentioning its breathtaking scenery. The dramatic red cliffs, the panoramic ocean views, and the beautifully maintained landscape make every hole memorable. Even between shots, it is impossible not to stop for a moment and appreciate the natural beauty surrounding the course. Few places combine championship golf and coastal scenery quite as effortlessly as Pine Cliffs. For anyone planning a golf break along this stretch of coast, Pine Cliffs is reason enough on its own.

Pine Cliffs Resort Aerial View

The signature par-3 sixth hole, famously played across the cliffs, continues to be one of the most iconic golf holes in Portugal. Standing on the tee box with the Atlantic Ocean stretching endlessly behind the green is an experience that never gets old. It is one of those rare holes where every golfer instinctively reaches for their phone or camera before taking the shot.

Today’s round perfectly captured what makes golf in the Algarve so special: outstanding weather, exceptional course conditions, stunning scenery, and a relaxed but vibrant atmosphere. Whether you are visiting Portugal for a golf holiday or simply looking for a memorable round by the ocean, Pine Cliffs continues to deliver a first-class experience.

After mornings like this, it is easy to understand why so many golfers return to Pine Cliffs year after year.

Golf Tourism’s Biggest European Gathering Returns to Málaga

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A thousand professionals, 42 countries, and over 11,000 business meetings. The IAGTO European Convention came back to the Costa del Sol — and made its mark.

Every year, the people who sell golf holidays to the world gather in one place to do business, share intelligence, and — because they are golfers — play a few rounds while they’re at it. This year, that place was Málaga. The 4th annual IAGTO European Convention ran from 18–20 May at the FYCMA Exhibition Centre, and by any measure it was the largest and most productive edition yet. Tee Times was represented by founder Carlos Ferreira, director Jorge Diogo, and director Telma Santos. (IAGTO)

Tee Time Directors Sponsor Wall

What the IEC Is — and Who It Brings Together

The IAGTO European Convention — IEC for short — is the golf tourism industry’s most important annual trade event in Europe, organised by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators for its member companies. It is, at its core, two intensive days of pre-scheduled business meetings: tour operators from across the globe sitting down with golf courses, hotels, destination management companies, and suppliers to plan the next season’s holidays. There is no cold-calling, no wandering the floor hoping to find someone useful. Every meeting is requested in advance and confirmed before anyone books their flight to Málaga. (Golf Circus)

This year’s edition attracted close to 1,000 professionals from 54 countries — among them 348 buyer delegates representing golf tour operators from 42 markets, a 31% increase on the previous Málaga edition. The UK accounts for around 20% of those buyers, with Germany and the Nordic markets close behind. Some 70 North American operators attended alongside 20 from Asia and the Pacific. In total, more than 11,000 business meetings took place across the two days.

FYMCA Conference Centre

Record Numbers, Real Impact

The figures speak for themselves. IAGTO projects a €30 million increase in Andalucía golf tourism sales over the next three years as a direct result of the connections made at IEC 2026 — on top of a direct economic impact of approximately €2 million from the event itself. The Costa del Sol was voted Golf Destination of the Year by IAGTO’s tour operator members at the previous edition, and the interest in the region shows no sign of cooling.

IAGTO Chief Executive Peter Walton called the convention “the most important golf travel trade event in Europe” and confirmed the organisation’s long-term commitment to Andalucía, with the IEC scheduled to return to the region in 2028, 2030, and 2032. The 2027 edition will take place on the Costa Blanca. Alongside the business programme, a familiarisation trip took around 40 international operators across golf courses and destinations in the provinces of Málaga and Cádiz — a reminder that the best way to sell a place is still to put people in it.

The IEC Golf Tournament — Business Done. Leaderboard Topped

The convention closes with a golf tournament — played simultaneously across four Costa del Sol courses, with delegates competing at Golf Torrequebrada, La Cala Resort, Baviera Golf, and Chaparral Golf Club in the Mijas Golf Valley. Chaparral is a Pepe Gancedo design set within a Mediterranean pine forest, with a balanced layout of six par 5s, six par 4s, and six par 3s, and sea views that make a bogey feel almost forgivable.

Tee Times Directors Win Tournament

Carlos and Jorge played there. They also won. After two days of back-to-back meetings, the Tee Times directors stepped onto the course at Chaparral and finished at the top of the leaderboard. It lit up more than a few proud smiles across our two Vilamoura offices. Well done, gentlemen. (Chaparral Golf Club)

Why the Costa del Sol Keeps Hosting This

Málaga is not an accidental choice for the golf tourism industry’s flagship European event. More than 70 courses within an hour of the airport, reliable sunshine across the calendar, and a concentration of hotels and resorts that makes a three-day convention straightforward to organise and genuinely enjoyable to attend. The region has spent decades building its reputation as a world-class golf destination — and the fact that the people who sell golf holidays to the rest of the world keep coming back to do business here is as good an endorsement as any. If Chaparral has caught your eye, it’s one of many Costa del Sol golf courses we know inside out.

If this week’s events in Mijas have you thinking about a Costa del Sol golf trip of your own, we know these courses rather well. Explore Costa del Sol golf holidays with Tee Times and see what’s waiting for you.