Dale Whitnell beat England international colleague Jamie Abbott in a sudden death playoff for the Portuguese Amateur Championship at Troia to collect his first title of 2009.
The East Anglian pair finished the weather-shortened event on 210, six under par, Whitnell with a closing 71 to Abbott’s 68, and two strokes ahead of Amateur Champion Reiner Saxton from the Netherlands. Then 20-year-old Whitnell eased past his pal with a birdie at the second playoff hole.
So much time was lost with early-morning mist on Thursday and Friday that the second round was not completed until Saturday afternoon by which time the Portuguese officials decided to cut the event to 54 holes.
Whitnell (photo courtesy of Tom Ward) began the final round two stokes off the lead held by Van der Vaart but he was level after an eagle-three at the opening hole. Out in 35, the Essex man dropped a shot at the 11th but a birdie at the 16th proved vital to secure his playoff spot.
Suffolk-based Abbott, who began five shots back, was also out in 35 and could have won the title outright. But a bogey at the 15th proved as crucial as Whitnell’s late birdie when a par would have left him a shot clear.
It proved a successful week for English players with four finishing in the leading seven.
Luke Goddard, winner of the Argentine title in December was joint fourth on 213 with a second Dutchman, Jurrian Van Der Vaart, while another international, Sam Hutsby finished equal sixth with defending champion Pedro Figueiredo of Portugal on 214.
Leading Final scores:
210 D Whitnell (Eng) 71 68 71, J Abbott (Eng) 73 69 68
(Whitnell won playoff at second extra hole)
212 R Saxton (Ned) 72 70 70
213 L Goddard (Eng) 72 70 71, J van der Vaart (Ned) 68 69 76
214 S Hutsby (Eng) 72 66 76, P Figueiredo (Por) 69 72 73
215 K Samooja (Fin) 75 70 70, A Kristiansen (Nor) 70 68 77
Other English scores:
218 M Haines 77 69 72
219 T Fleetwood 70 75 74
221 S Hodgson 73 75 73, M Mackman 72 75 74, E Pepperell 72 73 76
222 J Barnes 77 71 74
223 J Shepherd 75 75 73 , J Taverner 75 73 75, C Hinton 75 72 76.
224 D Wright 77 70 77
225 B Hemstock 75 74 76
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