Portugal glory for Hants duo

OLD THORNS duo Nick Haigh and Antony Chicheportiche dominated an international field to be crowned 2012 Race to Portugal champions at the Algarve’s Monte da Quinta resort.

Haigh, off ten, and Chicheportiche, off 11, scored 131 Stableford points over two rounds on Quinta do Lago’s South course to cruise to victory by 17 points from their nearest challengers, Richie Barry and Kieran McGloin, from Westport Golf Club in Ireland.

The pair, from Liphook, Hants, beat off the challenge of 17 other teams from across the UK, Ireland, Belgium, Germany and Sweden, gaining an eight-shot advantage over the field on the first day after scoring 68 points, then overcoming tricky conditions in the second round to really turn the screw as they more than doubled their lead.

Both players also came agonisingly close to securing a memorable double as they finished joint-second in the individual competition with 71 points, one point behind winner Richie Barry, from Westport Golf Club.

Haigh said: “We played some great golf at times over the two days and to win the pairs event by such a big margin was fantastic.

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