This week marks the first event hosted at an Arnold Palmer designed course since “The King” passed away last month.

The Oceânico Victoria course, near Vilamoura on the Portuguese Algarve was designed by Palmer back in 2004 and has hosted the Portugal Masters each year since 2007.

This year the tournament will pay tribute to seven-time Major winner as media and players gather on Tuesday night to watch a video of ‘The King’ and read a letter he wrote the course just three weeks before he passed away.

Knowing the tournament was approaching its tenth anniversary, Mr Palmer wrote the letter below, congratulating the venue and talking of his pleasure at how the course turned out.

The letter has been framed and will be displayed inside the clubhouse.

“The world of golf is mourning the loss of a great champion and a great ambassador or our sport” said Tournament Director Peter Adams.

“We are privileged and humbled that Mr Palmer took the time to write a letter of congratulations on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the Portugal Masters which has been played since its inception on the Victoria course at Vilamoura which he designed.”

The Arnold Palmer Design Company has created over 300 golf courses across the world but Oceânico Victorian course remains the only one in Portugal.

• Thanks to European Tour.