Savill makes hay in the Portuguese sunshine

Tandridge’s Louis Savill turned The Sunshine Pro-Am in Portugal into a procession by posting a three round total of 13-under to win by seven strokes.

Such an outcome looked unlikely after the first round at Laranjal where Savill posted a four-over-par total of 76.

However, with three cards counting from four rounds, he was able to bin that one and set about making amends. And he did so in fine style.

Despite describing Monte Rei as the most difficult of the three courses because of its fearsome rough, Savill posted a two-under-par round of 70.

The next day he followed that with what he considered his best round, a spectacular six-under-par 66 at Quinta South.

Commenting on that performance, he said: “I missed the first two greens, but shot the rest in regulation and put my wedges close to set up the birdies. I didn’t go defensive but kept pressing and stayed aggressive to the end.

Now well in front with one more score to make, it was back to Laranjal where Savill erased memories of his first day display by shooting a five-under-par round of 67 to claim the £1,100 winner’s cheque.

All of which left him seven strokes ahead of Royal Mid Surrey’s Ricky Pharo and eight clear of Littlestone’s Charlie Wilson.

Pharo and Wilson earned £850 and £810 respectively but they were not the only ones to benefit financially.

In total the Sunshine Pro-Am raised more than £8,500 for Demelza House, the Kent based hospice charity for seriously ill children.

The event is the brainchild of Tandridge’s head PGA Professional Chris Evans and Matt Paget, his counterpart at Royal Mid Surrey, and has now been staged 10 times.

Evans said: “It was a huge success. There were 26 teams of PGA Professionals and amateurs playing three terrific courses in top condition, with each day blessed with warm and sunny weather.

“We’ve now raised over £60,000 for Demelza House, an achievement we can all be proud of. Much of the success of the week is down to the excellent event organisation from start to finish - that’s largely down to The PGA in England (South)’s excellent staff.”

Savill echoed Evans’ comments and added: “It’s a phenomenal week from the moment we touch down to the gala dinner, and we’re all planning to be back for next year’s Sunshine Pro-Am.”