SAM Hutsby’s sensational start to the season continued after he captured the European Nations Cup individual title.

The 20-year-old Liphook amateur, pictured right, was crowned champion after a brilliant four days at the Copa Real Golf Club, in Spain.

The win capped a double celebration for Hutsby, after he helped England secure the team championship.

Hutsby, who is England’s number one amateur, has enjoyed an excellent start to his 2009 campaign.

After finishing sixth in the Portuguese Amateur Cham-pionship, he was runner-up in the Spanish equivalent.

Following his latest success, Hutsby is expected to jump up in the world rankings, where he currently lies sixth.

The talented youngster is looking increasingly certain of achieving his goal of making this year’s Great Britain & Ireland Walker Cup squad, which will face the United States in September.

Rose Bowl County Golf Club professional Martin Butcher, who coaches Hutsby, said he was delighted at the result.

“I’m really pleased for him and he’s over the moon himself,” said Butcher.

“On the third day, one of the selectors for the Walker Cup went round with him and he shot seven-under.

“But he reckons he could have been a lot lower, as he hit something like 16 or 17 greens, so he had 16 or 17 birdie putts.

“I think in the last round it was blowing a gale and he shot under par and caught up the four shots on the leader.

“It just shows his character.

“He’s relaxed and determined and he never gives up.

“He manages to stay calm.”

Hutsby opened with a round of three-under-par, which he matched on day two, leaving him six shots off the lead.

A dazzling round of seven-under followed on Saturday, but Hutsby was still four shots back of Spain’s Carlos Pigem.

In severe wind on the final day, Hutsby kept his nerve to shoot one-under and make up those four shots, before beating Pigem in a playoff.

Hutsby’s performance helped England finish four shots clear of Spain at the top of the team leaderboard.

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