ENGLAND’S Matt Wallace held off a two-pronged assault on the final day to claim his first European Tour title with a wire-to-wire victory at the Open de Portugal.

Wallace held a five-shot lead at the halfway stage and was three ahead starting the final round, but saw his advantage reduced to a single shot, first by German Sebastian Heisele and then American Julian Suri.

However, the 27-year-old held his nerve to card four vital birdies in a closing 69, his third bogey-free round of the week at Morgado Golf Resort giving him a winning total of 21 under par.

Suri had piled on the pressure with nine birdies in his first 15 holes, but he then bogeyed the 17th and had to settle for a closing 65 and second place on 18 under. France’s Matthieu Pavon was two shots further back in third, wtih Heisele sharing fourth place with England’s Sam Walker on 15 under.

Wallace won six times on the Alps Tour last season – including five in a row – to secure a place on the Challenge Tour, but now has a full European Tour card after just his fourth event at this level.

“It’s the best feeling ever,” Wallace said after rounds of 63, 66, 73 and 69. “It’s always been a dream to win on the European Tour. The first two days were really easy, the third was the hardest day of my life and today was tough but it’s so satisfying and I’m really happy.

“A good friend of mine, Tom Lewis, won here in Portugal.

I spoke to him yesterday and he has great memories here and I’m going to as well.

“I didn’t see it coming, I never envisioned standing here. I just tried to go through my processes and work as hard as I could.”

David Drysdale was the highest finishing Scot on five under after a closing 72, followed by Paul Lawrie (74) and Grant Forrest (76) on three under.