Steven Brown Wins Maiden Title At Portugal Masters

The Englishman shot a closing 66 in Vilamoura to win his first European Tour title and secure his tour card

Steven Brown Wins Maiden Title At Portugal Masters
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The Englishman shot a closing 66 in Vilamoura to win his first European Tour title and secure his tour card

Steven Brown Wins Maiden Title At Portugal Masters

The Portugal Masters brought the conclusion of the regular European Tour season and there was high drama in Vilamoura as Brandon Stone fell away on the back nine and the resurgent Steven Brown won his maiden European Tour title.

Brown thought he'd be heading to Q-School next month to attempt to regain his tour card but a superb bogey-free closing 66 was enough to win by a single stroke.

"You just never know with this game. I was counting down ready for Tour School, so this is amazing," Brown said.

The Englishman was down at 550th in the world having missed 16 cuts this year, but he is now €250,000 richer and has his job secured for another year.

"The last few weeks I've had a calmness in my head," he said.

"Even today, I liked the fact that I had to go for it and I wasn't just trying to have a good result.

"I had to seize the chance. It was do or bust this week."

Watch: Brown's eagle on the par-5 12th

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Brown moves up to 69th in the Race to Dubai meaning he has qualified for the Turkish Airlines Open next week which is open to the top 70.

Overnight leader Stone was ahead with nine to play but dropped shots on both par-3s on the back nine and failed to birdie both par-5s too.

He was T2nd with countryman Justin Walters, with the pair both retaining their European Tour cards for next year after the high finishes.

Related: Tiger Woods wins 82nd PGA Tour title to tie Sam Snead's record

Portugal Masters Leaderboard:

1 Steven Brown -17

2 Brandon Stone -16

2 Justin Walters -16

4 Adrien Saddier -15

5 Chris Paisley -14

6 Eddie Pepperell -13

6 Jeunghun Wang -13

8 Jake MaLeod -12

8 Jack Singh Brar -12

8 Andy Sullivan -12

8 Tom Lewis -12

8 Matt Wallace -12

Oli Fisher -12

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Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!


Elliott is currently playing:


Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV