Levy wins Portugal Masters after tournament reduced to 36 holes

Sport360 staff 06:41 13/10/2014
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  • Swinging in the rain: Levy with the trophy after the event was reduced to 36 holes.

     Alexander Levy has won the Por­tugal Masters after the event was reduced to 36 holes as more rain battered the Oceanico Victoria Golf Club course.

    The tournament had already been reduced to 54 holes after heavy rain on Thursday evening and Friday.

    Levy and playing partner Nicolas Colsaerts had played just a single hole of their third and final round yesterday when the heavens opened once more, drenching the course, with organisers deciding at approxi­mately 3.15pm that the result would be decided on 36-hole scores.

    That meant the Frenchman, who had recorded rounds of 63 and 61, claimed his second European Tour win following his victory at the Vol­vo China Open in April.

    “It feels very special,” he said. “If at the start of the year you told me, ‘You are going to win two tourna­ments’, I (would) say ‘never’ to you.

    “It’s a very nice feeling to me. I’m very happy. I work hard on this game and I think I played a good game this week.”

    Levy was one of the lucky ones who managed to get his second round completed on Friday mean­ing he did not play at all on Satur­day and he admitted it was a strange feeling to have won after playing only two rounds.

    “It’s special,” he added. “Because you are only on 36 holes but after Friday I knew I would only play 54. But it’s a special feeling at this time.

    “I was focused to play this last round and try my best to win this tournament.”

    Levy will now head to Kent to play in the World Matchplay next week before he approaches the Final Se­ries as the Race to Dubai reaches its conclusion and he is hopeful of maintaining his good form.

    “I’m going to try to play like I played the first two rounds,” he said. “I’ve impressed myself with the way I’ve played golf and I think I need to continue like that.”

    Colsaerts parred the first along­side Levy and finished three shots behind him on 15-under with Chile’s Felipe Aguilar two shots fur­ther back and Dane Morten Orum Madsen, Romain Wattel and Rich­ard Bland on 11-under.

    Only four players managed to complete their final rounds, includ­ing victorious Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley, but none of the field were looking like mounting a seri­ous charge on the leaders when play was stopped.

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