Lewis wins Portugal Masters for first title in only third pro tournament

Tom Lewis needed just three tournaments to earn his first title as a professional, shooting a 7-under 65 Sunday to win the Portugal Masters on the European Tour by two shots.

Lewis made five birdies over the last seven holes to overtake Rafael Cabrera-Bello, who held a four-stroke lead going into the final round. The Spanish golfer hit into the water on his way to a double-bogey 7 at the 12th to see his chances of victory fade, but birdied three of the last four holes to move out of a logjam at 18 under and claim second place on his own. It was an impressive -- and highly lucrative -- comeback.

The 20-year-old Lewis finished with a 21-under total of 267. He turned professional last month, after raising eyebrows by becoming the first amateur to lead the British Open following a first-round 65. He was playing on a sponsor's invitation, but the victory gives him a two-year exemption to play on the European Tour.

"I was just happy shooting in the sixties no matter where I finished. If you had said I would finish 21 under I would have said 'No way,'" Lewis said. "To have two years on the European tour, I would not have dreamt that at the beginning of the week, so I'm really pleased."

Lewis' start tops even that of Tiger Woods, who needed five tournaments to get his first win. U.S. Open winner Rory McIlroy's first victory came in his 38th event.

Lewis said he was surprised as anyone by his showing.

"I wouldn't have expected that at all," Lewis said. "I was dreading qualifying school at the end of the year but it looks like I've skipped that. I'm just really pleased with my performance."

Gregory Havret (64), David Lynn (64), Christian Nilsson (71), Thomas Bjorn (71) and Jamie Donaldson (67) finished three shots behind.

"I've not thought about the money -- I was thinking about winning," said the new champion, who had an incredible 22 birdies and only one bogey in his last 52 holes – and who was only in seventh spot with seven holes to go. But he two-putted the long 12th and then had four more birdies in a row from the 14th.

Suddenly, with previous co-leaders Peter Hanson, Christian Nilsson, Felipe Aguilar and Cabrera-Bello all finding water entering the closing stretch, Lewis was three clear. He held his nerve to par the dangerous final hole and had to wait the best part of an hour before his victory was confirmed.

Instead of facing a trip to Q-School in December -- he entered the week 234th on the Tour money list and 621st in the world -- he now knows that his future is secured.

"I would not have expected this at all," he added. "I was really dreading going to the qualifying school at the end of the year, but it looks like I've skipped that."

Instead he will be making a World Championship debut in China next month and is now third place on the European Ryder Cup points table.

Remarkably, Lewis was five strokes outside the halfway cut mark when he bogeyed the opening two holes of his second round on Friday. But he turned that into a 64, was four behind Cabrera-Bello with 18 holes to go and seized his chance brilliantly as those ahead of him made mistakes.

After pitching to six feet on the 14th, he drove the green at the 315-yard next, two-putted for another birdie, made a 25-footer from the fringe of the short 16th and two-putted again on the par-5 17th.