Late charge from Lynn clinches Portugal title

Lynn, whose only previous win in almost 400 events came in the KLM Open in 2004, carded a superb closing 63 to finish 18-under at Oceanico Victoria Golf Course in Vilamoura.

The 39-year-old, who turns 40 next Sunday, started the day six shots off the lead but charged into contention with five birdies in a front nine of 30 and, after a bogey at the 10th, picked up further shots at the 11th, 14th, 15th and 17th to set a clubhouse target that was never matched.

An emotional Justin Walters, who began the week 126th in the Race to Dubai, holed a 40ft par putt on the 18th to claim outright second on 17-under and secure his card for next season, the South African breaking down in tears following the death of his mother two weeks ago.

Lynn, who struggled to a 73 on Saturday, said: “I was really disappointed when I walked off the course yesterday, I just didn’t hole any putts and made seven at 17 and thought maybe I had played myself out of it.

“Today was just a case of I’ve got to go out there and make as many birdies as I can. I must admit I was thinking of Scott Jamieson’s 60 (in the third round). If I could do something like that, who knows? The wind was up quite a bit today so eight-under is a really good score.”

Lynn – who began the week 52nd in the world rankings – held a two-shot lead playing the last but admitted his heart was in his mouth as his approach looked set to find the water short of the green. It ended up clearing the hazard by a matter of feet and two putts later he had completed what proved to be the winning round.

Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger had been just one behind with two to play but found the water with his second shot to the 17th, where playing partner Walters made his fourth birdie in a row to move to 17-under.

Walters looked certain to drop a shot on the last after finding a fairway bunker with his tee shot, but holed a massive par putt and punched the air in delight before the tears began to flow.

England’s Paul Waring held a two-shot lead going into the final round but saw his hopes disappear with a double-bogey five on the 16th, although birdies on the last two holes gave him a share of third place in the field with Scot Stephen Gallacher (66) and Wiesberger (67).

Sheffield’s Danny Willett, the only surviving Yorkshireman in the tournament, fell further away on the last day, a round of75 seeing him finish 14 shots behind the victorious Lynn.