The tournament – the 22nd and last event of the international circuit sanctioned by PGA of Portugal, the Portuguese Golf Federation and the Jamega Pro Golf Tour – saw around 80 players from across the globe compete for the €25,000 purse, more than double the amount offered at the other events on the Tour.


Whitnell won with a final score of nine-under par after three rounds and said: “I already had great memories of Troia from 2009, winning the Portuguese Amateur Championship, so when it was announced as the Tour Championship venue, I was quietly confident.


“Troia Resort is an outstanding facility and one I would recommend to anyone. The staff were welcoming and the golf course was in first-class condition, making it a very good test for all levels of the game.”

Hannes Rönneblad’s new course record of 65, seven under par, achieved on the last day of the event, may not seem particularly low for a modern pro – but when taking into consideration Troia’s challenging layout, it’s an extremely impressive score that is likely to stand for some time.


The 24-year-old Swede said: “Troia is definitely one of my favourite courses in Europe. There aren’t many places that test your entire game in such a great way – it’s a paradise if you like creativity.


“I was lucky enough to experience this during the Tour Championship, where I shot 65 on the last round. It may sound like a walk in the park, but the course still showed its teeth. So have fun with it and enjoy the beautiful views. I’m always looking forward to my next visit there.”


José Correia, PGA Portugal president, said: “Troia Resort was the perfect venue and the conditions were fantastic. The feedback from the players and organisers was very positive, congratulations to everyone involved for putting on such a great event.”