• Portugal Masters, Round Four

Young star Lewis charges to superb maiden triumph

Tom Lewis stepped out from the shadows at the Portugal Masters © Getty Images

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England's Tom Lewis, who only made his professional debut in September, produced an astonishing performance to lift his maiden European Tour title on Sunday, winning the Portugal Masters by two strokes.

Lewis only turned pro after the 2011 Walker Cup, but he had already signalled his quality earlier in the year when he shared the lead after the first round of The Open. His 65 back then was the lowest ever shot by an amateur at The Open, propelling him to an eventual 30th-place finish, but in Portugal nobody was able to usurp the 20-year-old.

Starting the final round four shots off the leader, Lewis steered clear of bogeys during the early holes before stepping on the accelerator - as he has all week - after the turn. A seven-under-par 65 swept the youngster to a score of 21-under, which proved enough to edge out his closest rivals for one of the year's most significant victories.

Lewis had already sounded a warning over his potential on the Oceanico Victoria Golf Course with a 64 on Friday. This time he was more circumspect on the early holes, picking up just two birdies, but his round really took off on the 12th, where he began a run of five birdies in six holes.

Driving further than at any stage in the week, Lewis almost found one more birdie at the last when he rolled his putt within two inches of the hole, but he had already all-but-sewn up his first professional triumph.

"I saw on 14 that I was only a couple behind so I knew I needed a couple of birdies, but I think I got four. I played well today," Lewis said. "I didn't expect that at all. I was dreading going to Tour school at the end of the year but I've skipped that and I'm so pleased."

Rafael Cabrera-Bello provided the greatest threat to Lewis' total as the youngster waited patiently in the clubhouse. The Spaniard reached 19-under heading to the 18th, but he could only par the final hole when an unlikely eagle was needed.

England's David Lynn had earlier given himself an almighty chance of victory with one of the rounds of the day in Vilamoura as he eventually finished tied for third. Starting eight strokes off the pace, Lynn produced a flawless display to fire an eight-under 64.

Driving longer and more accurately than at any other time in the week, Lynn found four birdies ahead of the turn before finding another quartet back-to-back beginning at the 12th. A tally of 24 putts in the round provided evidence of his fine work around the greens, and it was enough for a tied-third finish on 18-under alongside George Coetzee, Gregory Havret, Felipe Aguilar and Christian Nilsson.

Former world No. 1 Martin Kaymer knew he needed to shoot extremely low in order to challenge on Sunday, and the German gave it everything he had before falling four strokes short of the victory total. Kaymer began the day seven shots off the lead, but seven birdies in the opening 15 holes gave him a sniff of a chance. A bogey at the 16th effectively ended the charge, with a 66 leaving him to settle for eighth on 17-under.

Padraig Harrington had started level with Kaymer, but the Irishman never threatened in a round of 68. Four birdies by the turn came as the result of some excellent scrambling by Harrington, but a string of pars on his way back to the clubhouse meant his charge faded as he finished on 15-under.

Further down the leaderboard, Colin Montgomerie completed the weekend on 10-under after an encouraging 68. Montgomerie's round took him clear of a clutch of fellow Brits, including Robert Rock, who finished on four-under.

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