Underdog Chris Smith was crowned champion at the BPGA Fritz Reiter/Lobster Pot Matchplay Championships at Belmont Hills on Saturday after a four and three victory over Dwayne Pearman.

Played out over 36 holes, the unfancied Smith was five-up through the first 18 and clearly in the driving seat as Pearman struggled to convert his opportunities on the greens throughout the morning.

With five birdies during the first round, Smith opted for caution in the afternoon, taking irons from the tee when he could afford to and challenging his opponent to force the issue.

However, Pearman?s attempts to gain a foothold in the match were undone by continually erratic approach play ? something which had dogged his game all week ? as he failed to capitalise on a number of promising positions from the fairway.

On the par-four sixth, with both players driving to the centre of the fairway, Pearman duffed his second shot from 180 yards out of bounds on the left while Smith played up to just short of the green to take the hole.

Four up at the turn, it was clear that Pearman was going to have to produce something special to overturn the deficit ? although some inspired golf from Smith on the par-five 12th delivered the knockout blow.

The young Tucker?s Point employee found himself in the rough just to the left of the green in two, with Pearman needing to sink a 20-footer for birdie.

Making light of a tricky greenside chip with little room to work with, Smith sunk the shot for an eagle to leave him five-up with only five to play.

And although he missed an uphill ten foot putt for the win on 13, Pearman conceded the match on the very next hole with Smith needing two putts for victory from only 15 feet.

Afterwards, the youngster highlighted his ?hot week? with the putter as the primary reason behind the triumph.

?It?s a great feeling to win here against a really strong field,? Smith said.

?I played really solid all week and today was pretty much the same. But the key for me all week was my putting. My putter was really on all week and I hardly had any three putts. If you?re solid from tee to green and your putting is working then you are always likely to be in the hunt.?

?But I have to admit I really enjoy matchplay ? probably more than strokeplay if I?m being honest,? he continued.

?It is a completely different mindset and the competitive edge is that much greater. But I really enjoyed the week and had a number of tough matches so it was nice to pull through.?

Pearman, meanwhile, paid tribute to his ?excellent? opponent, while pointing to his poor iron play as the difference on the day.

?I?ve pretty much had no confidence in my shots from the fairway all week,? he said.

?I have made a few changes to my swing and I guess you could say that I?m not all that comfortable with them yet. But I played really well in the semi-final against Kim Swan so I?m a little disappointed with my performance today.?

?But all credit to Chris, he deserved the win,? Pearman continued.

?He has always been there or thereabouts before so it is nice for him that he has picked up a win. He is a really good guy, very respectful and pleasant and I?m happy for him. As for me, I was not 100 percent and although I kept trying I was not consistent enough to put any heat on him over the final 18. But second place is not bad and I?m certainly not finished yet.?

Kim Swan took third place with a victory over Twilton Smith.