Sky Sports' Tim Barter praised Shane Lowry's performance after the Ulsterman secured his first European Tour win as a professional..
Lowry clinched a one-shot victory in the Portugal Masters on Sunday after Ross Fisher, who was level with the clubhouse leader going down the 18th, missed a par putt which would have forced a play-off.
The Irishman, who carded a five-under par final round to finish on 14 under, won the 2009 Irish Open as an amateur, and Barter believes his victory, which saw him earn a cheque for €375,000, is just rewards for some consistent performances on the Tour since turning professional.
"He was three shots behind at the turn and then that burst came with that birdie at 10 and that eagle at 11," he told Sky Sports. "You could hear the Irish crowd all day. They were really spurring him on.
"It was a tremendous performance from Shane. He has been a class act ever since he won as an amateur. We wondered how he would get on but he has really come on well. Today he has produced the class.
"When an amateur wins on the European Tour you wonder whether that is a fluke. He was in his home country, playing in his own conditions and knew his way round.
"You wonder if they can make their way through. Shane has established himself as a very consistent player and over the last couple of years he has threatened to win a couple of times and has not quite pulled it off.
"But today he went out four shots behind and just played brilliantly and came through to win it."
