South African JC Ritchie's second feat of the season on the HotelPlanner Tour saw him win the Portuguese Open with a thrilling finish, including three birdies, by scoring 269 (70, 66, 67, 66, -15), beating off a strong field that included Stefano Mazzoli until the 14th hole. The Italian was also in the lead, but finished ninth with a 274 (68, 68, 67, 71, -10), suffering two errors (a bogey and a double bogey after four birdies and another bogey for a par 71).
HotelPlannerTour, results
On the Royal bidos Spa & Golf Resort (par 71) course in Vau bidos, Portugal, the winner edged out Scotland's David Law, second with a 270 (-14). Law, leading after three rounds, was hoping to secure his third win of the season to immediately advance to the DP World Tour, where he will be heading at the end of the season, having led the Road to Mallorca (order of merit).
In third place with a 271 (-13) was Frenchman Julien Sale, who won one Asian Tour event this year. Then came three Spaniards: Quim Vidal in fourth with a 272 (-12), and Rocco Paolo Repetto Taylor and Sebastian Garcia in fifth with a 273 (-11), joined by Austria's Lukas Nemecz and Scotland's Jack McDonald, all in contention for the title until the South African's imperious surge.
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The other Italians competing also earned money: Renato Paratore, 21st with a score of 278 (65 73 72 68, -6), Lorenzo Scalise, 30th with a score of 279 (68 71 69 71, -5), Filippo Celli, 36th with a score of 281 (66 71 72 72, -3), Enrico Di Nitto (71 70 70 73), and Aron Zemmer (72 68 67 77), 52nd with a score of 284 (par).
Juan Carlo Ritchie, 31, from Standerton, achieved his sixth victory on the circuit, four of which were in events organized in conjunction with the Sunshine Tour, where, excluding these, he boasts six more. For his success, he was rewarded with a check for 48,000 from a prize pool of 300,000. And this is all about this tournament of golf.
