Garrick Porteous victorious in the Amateur

Garrick Porteous who won the Scottish Open Stroke-play title at Southerness three weeks ago stormed to victory in the Amateur Championship in wind and rain on the Kent coast yesterday.

The 23-year-old graduate of the University of Tennessee overwhelmed Finland’s Toni Hakula by 6&5 over the challenging Royal Cinque Ports course after always being in control- and he can now look forward to playing in next month’s Open Championship at Muirfield.

Porteous from Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland intends to turn professional and go to qualifying school after September’s Walker Cup match – and if successful he will not be able to take advantage of exemptions to the Masters and US Open. The English star swept into a three-hole lead after eight and was still three up at the end of the morning round. Porteous canned a 40-foot putt at the 27th to go five ahead but Hakula gave himself a glimmer of hope by knocking in a tramliner at the next- but that revival was short-lived as Porteous won the 30th and 31st to close out the match and claim the biggest prize in Amateur golf.

“My putting has really been the key to my success this week – I have been feeling good about my game and came here with confidence high after winning the Scottish and being runner-up in the Welsh Open Stroke-play,” said Porteous. “To win this Championship is like a dream coming true- there can be no greater individual reward for an amateur after all the hard work that goes into practice.”