Dale Whitnell beats Jamie Abbott in Portuguese Amateur Championship
- Monday, 23 February 2009
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Dale Whitnell has won the Portuguese Amateur Championship
England's Dale Whitnell beat compatriot Jamie Abbott in a sudden death playoff for the Portuguese Amateur Championship.
The 20-year-old edged past Abbott with a birdie at the second playoff hole to collect his first title of 2009 on the Estela course in Porto.
The Essex man had finished on six-under, along with Abbott who were two strokes ahead of amateur champion Reiner Saxton.
Whitnell begun the final round two strokes off the lead, held by Dutchman Jurrian Van der Vaar, but was level after an eagle at the opening hole, before he then
dropped a shot at the 11th. However, a birdie at the 16th secured his playoff spot.
Suffolk-based Abbott, had begun the day five shots back, and could have won the title outright, but for a costly bogey on 15.
It was a fantastic week for English players with four players finishing in the leading seven. Luke Goddard was joint-fourth, while Sam Hutsby finished equal-sixth with defending champion Pedro Figueiredo.
Portuguese officials had to cut the event to just 54 holes because the second round was not completed until Saturday afternoon due to mist.
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