WALLACE WINS FIRST TOUR TITLE
ENGLAND’S Matt Wallace held off a two-pronged assault on the final day to claim his first European Tour triumph with a superb performance in the Portugal Open.
Wallace held a five-shot lead at the halfway stage and was still three ahead starting the final round but saw his advantage reduced to a single shot – first by German Sebastian Heisele and then American Julian Suri.
However, the 27-year-old held his nerve to card four vital birdies in a closing 69, his third bogey-free round of the week at Morgado Golf Resort, giving him a winning total of 21 under par.
In-form Wallace won six tournaments on the Alps Tour last season – including five in a row – to secure a place on the Challenge Tour.
But now the world No.242 has a full European Tour card after just his fourth event at this level.
Wallace said: “It’s the best feeling ever. It has always been a dream of mine to win on the European Tour.
“Those first two days were really easy, that third day was the hardest day of my life and today was tough. But it’s so satisfying and I’m really happy.
“A good friend of mine, Tom Lewis, won here in Portugal and I spoke to him yesterday. He has great memories here and I’m going to as well.
“To be honest, I didn’t see it coming, I never envisioned standing here.
“I just tried to go through my processes and work as hard as I could.”
Wallace had rounds of 63, 66, 73 and 69 to become only the second player on the tour this season to win from start to finish.
Suri had piled the pressure on with nine birdies in his first 15 holes of the final round but bogeyed the 17th and had to settle for a closing 65 and second place on 18 under.
France’s Matthieu Pavon was two shots further back in third, while Heisele shared fourth with England’s Sam Walker.