Tom Lewis decides to repay his parents debts with the prize share of Portugal Masters victory
Tom Lewis, the first-round-wonder at the Open Championship this year, clinched his first professional title last week, when he lifted the Portugal Masters trophy on the European Tour. The 20-year-old prodigy pulled first victory in his third start on the
tour and is now all set to challenge the veterans on the tour.
“I wouldn’t have expected this at all at the beginning of the week,” Lewis said. “I got off to a slow start and there are some really good players here this week, so to come out on top was just unbelievable, especially so early in my career.” Lewis said
after his rounds of 70, 64, 68, and 65, good enough to outshine the rest of the field in the event.
He took over the fast approaching Spaniard Rafael Cabrera-Bello by two strokes to post his first professional win. He carded five birdies on the last holes where Bello fell in for a treacherous double-bogey to fall out of contention. For Lewis, the victory
was already on the cards after his third place finish at Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
Lewis, after his record breaking first round at the Open Championship earlier in the year, had the opportunity to turn professional but decided to delay the same to play in the Walker Cup. The European team came out victorious in the cup and Lewis finally
switched ranks to turn professional.
What has been more impressive about the young Englishman, is the commitment towards his family and relations and declared that he will be giving away much of the €416,660, his winning prize share of the Portugal Masters, to repay his parents lingering debts.
“My Mum and Dad built up a debt in helping fund my amateur career so I will sort them out first,” Lewis said after winning at Oceanico Victoria Golf Club on Sunday.
Lewis comes from a humble background in the Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, England and won the Boys Amateur Championship at his favourite links course, the Royal St. George’s in 2009. He returned to play at the same course in the Open Championship, as
a Low Amateur and shot a round of 65 on the first day. This is the lowest round shot by an amateur in the Open Championship. Lewis has managed to pull in a victory in his third start which is faster than Rory McIlroy who won his first professional event in
38th start and Tiger Woods who won in the fifth. While many critics are comparing Lewis as the next great thing to have come out of European Tour, Lewis insists that he has a long way to go.
“I’ve got a long way to go. I’ll put this win behind me at the end of the year and start fresh next year. So I’m really pleased.” Lewis now holds the tour card for the whole next season.
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