STEVE LOVELL has been crowned national Sunshine Challenge golf champion.

The five-handicapper, representing the Kent Messenger Group, beat nine other regional newspaper finalists in the sunny Algarve over three rounds of Stableford competition.

Lovell, a member of Sittingbourne Golf Club, became the first player to retain his Kent Messenger Group title in September and he was again in sparkling form in Portugal.

Former Gillingham Football Club striker Lovell, who scored more than 100 goals for the club between 1986-92, has had his share of success on the golf course this

summer and his consistency proved vital on some of Portugal’s finest courses.

He opened with an impressive 41 points at Morgado which put him two clear of Julian Hamilton-Taylor (Bournemouth Echo).

Lovell was disappointed to three-putt five greens when the competition moved on to Boavista but Hamilton-Taylor dropped off the pace with 27 points off his six handicap, which meant Lovell went into the final day at Salgados with a one-shot lead over Chris Clarkson (h6, Yorkshire Post) who shot 36 to go with his opening 34 points.

So Lovell knew what he had to do. And he didn’t disappoint as two birdies in his last five holes saw him finish three clear of Steve Simpson (h5, Golf North East).

Lovell said: "The Sunshine Challenge is a great competition and I’m delighted to have won the national finals.

"Last year I was not playing that well when we went to Portugal but this year was different – I’ve been playing well all summer. I would recommend everyone to enter the KM event next year."

Results: 1 Steve Lovell (h5, Kent Messenger Group) 105pts, 2 Steve Simpson (h5, Golf North East) 102, 3 Ian Ward (h15, Bristol Evening Post) 99, 4= Julian Hamilton-Taylor (h6, Bounemouth Daily Echo) 98, Chris Clarkson (h6, Yorkshire Post) 98, 6 Kevin Eagle, h0, East Anglian Daily Times) 97, 7 David Pudney (h5, Stirling Observer) 93, 8 Ron Dyer (h13, Portsmouth News) 88, 9 David Smith (h5, Perthshire Advertiser) 83, 10 Brian Hansford (h5, Dorset Echo) 91.