Teenager Oliver Betschart punched well above his weight to capture a maiden Moongate Tour Championship title at Port Royal yesterday.

The 15-year-old shot a one-over 72 to finish two shots clear of the field and become the first amateur to win the event.

“It’s great to win the Moongate Tour Championship,” an elated Betschart told The Royal Gazette. “I played pretty good.

“I didn’t make as many putts as I wanted, but the conditions were good out there.

“We had fun in my group and I really enjoyed myself.”

Betschart got off to a solid start, rattling in 12-foot birdie putts at the par-four 4th and par-five 7th to make the turn at one under.

“Me and my coach have been working on getting the start of my rounds under par faster, and that’s what I did,” Betschart added.

“I made birdie on the 4th that got me under par then another birdie on the 7th and finished the front nine one under.”

Among the highlights of Betschart’s round was a spectacular eight-iron approach to the green on the 4th, from a difficult lie, to give himself a chance for birdie.

“Probably the best shot of the day was my second on the 4th,” he said.

“My tee shot I blocked out right a bit and had a bush right in front of me, a tree to the left, tree to the right.

“I had to thread the needle right through everything, get up over the trees next to the bush, and I stuck it to 12 feet from 155 yards.”

The player’s only blemish on the front nine was a bogey on the 6th.

Betschart dropped another shot after making bogey on the 1st hole on the back nine to go to even par, where he remained until another bogey on the 18th hole saw him finish at one over, which was ultimately good enough to secure the title.

“I tried to keep it steady into the back nine, make some more birdies and go for my Port Royal all-time low, which would be four under,” he added. “I missed a couple of putts and everybody had to deal with the poa annua [meadow grass] today. We all enjoyed it and I wasn’t really expecting it.”

Betschart was unfortunate not to have converted five-foot birdie opportunities on the 15th and 17th on his stroll coming in.

“I was walking the putts in and they just bobbled a bit and missed, so it was a bit unlucky,” he said. “However, everybody had to deal with it, so I am just happy with the outcome.”

Betschart is thrilled to be the first amateur to win the event and savour his first taste of success for the new year.

“Out of the two championships they have had, it’s pretty cool being the first amateur to win it,” he added. “It’s a good accomplishment and I am happy with the way I played.”

Nick Jones was the top professional and second overall with a three-over 74 that included two birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey on the 1st hole at the Southampton layout.

“I didn’t get off to the start I wanted,” Jones said. “I hit the first ball out of bounds and made double bogey and finished the round at three over.”

Fellow professional Dwayne Pearman entered the clubhouse a farther shot back in third to complete the top three finishers.

“The round was OK; some good, some bad,” he said.

“I was one over going to the 14th and lost a few shots coming in.”

Tour cofounder Chaka DeSilva finished fourth at five over and fellow professional Scott Roy another shot adrift to round off the top five players among the 18-strong field.

Defending champion Camiko Smith had to settle for a seventh-place finish and was among a trio of players coming in at six over.