IN THE SWING: David Porter.

DAVID PORTER played one of the golf shots of his young life at his last hole to land the elusive Hampshire Youth Championship at Royal Winchester on Sunday.

The 16-year-old England Boy's inter-national from Stoneham didn't fancy a chip from the edge of a bunker at the ninth with one foot in the sand and another on the grassy bank - but he took it on, holed out from 20 yards for an eagle two and the title was his.

There was no-one more deserving in the field. Porter finished third behind Justin Rose in 1997 and was second to Ben Case last year.

This year's prize looked a distant hope as he trailed Sean Byrne (Meon Valley) and Nick Robbie (North Hants) by three after the first round. Byrne double-bogied his first hole but then hit four bidies in a round of 69.

Robbie duplicated that despite being two over after 11 holes. He birdied four of his last five holes, three of them coming on the bounce.

Porter was having early problems on the greens. He made his first six greens in regulatiion but was three over after a trio of three putts. His first birdie came at the ninth, an up-and-down from the sand. Quality chipping earned him two more shots and a round of 72, one over.

He began his second round at the tenth where he missed a two-footer for birdie. But three birdies came at 12, 14 and 17 and he turned in 33.

Porter holed from 12 feet at the first to go four under but he gave three shots back and came to the eighth needing a minor miracle to win.

But a good drive and a pitching wedge to close-in gave him a glimmer of a chance which he took gloriously at the ninth, his last hole. His four-under-par total equalled the course record. Byrne came in with a 72 for second place with Robbie's 73 giving him third.

Winner of the junior category for under-16s was Alresford's Charlie Swan with rounds of 75 and 77.

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