Staff WriterEngland’s Eliot Baker soared to victory at the 95th Portuguese Amateur Championship on Saturday, delivering a remarkable performance at Penina Hotel & Golf Resort.
The 22-year-old from Devon outclassed a strong international field, posting a scintillating 19-under total that left him three shots ahead of the Czech Republic’s Louis Klein and four clear of English teammate Daniel Hayes.
Baker, who also captured the West of England Open Match Play title in September, kept his cool during the final round despite a few pre-tee jitters.
“I was feeling some nerves before I teed off in the final round, but once I got the first hole out of the way, I was mostly comfortable.
And when I was stood on the 18th tee with a three-shot lead, I was pretty sure I could see it out from there!”
One particularly jaw-dropping moment came during the second round, when Baker drained a 75-foot eagle putt on the 18th hole.
“That putt really shifted my momentum,” he said. “It boosted my confidence and set the tone for the rest of the tournament.”
This is by far the Devon golfer’s biggest win to date, a triumph he plans to celebrate with family and perhaps a place of honor for the trophy back home.
With a busy competitive schedule looming in 2025, Baker is already eyeing new targets.
“It’s an incredible feeling to win against so many talented players from around Europe,” he noted.
I hope I can keep giving myself opportunities to win golf tournaments throughout the year, and hopefully I can close out a few more.
“I just want to keep improving my overall game and push forward, and hopefully the results will come.”
Meanwhile, England’s Ben Brown finished in a tie for 13th place, and nine additional English players made the cut to end up among the top 42.
Over in the team competition, Andrew Haswell, Ben Brown, and Tom Osborne combined for a -22 finish, securing the Nations Cup for England.
They fended off Italy II by five strokes, with the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, and Wales trailing by seven.
At Penina Hotel & Golf Resort, the atmosphere was nothing short of electric all week.
And while the entire scene is set for a brilliant future, England’s own rising star, Eliot Baker, really stole the show—now sporting a gleaming new trophy and stepping into an even bigger spotlight on his promising career.
