From HotelPlanner Tour
JC Ritchie birdied his final three holes on Sunday to seal a second HotelPlanner Tour win of 2025 at the Open de Portugal at Royal Óbidos.
The South African signed for a five-under-par 66 to reach 15-under-par for the week, though it wasn’t until the closing stages of Sunday’s play until he made his move. After bogeying the difficult par-three 15th and sitting amongst a cluster of players in a tie for second, Ritchie bounced back with a birdie on the next before chipping in for another on the par-four 17th.
Sitting two shots clear of overnight leader David Law on the 18th tee, the South African opted to lay-up on the par five closing hole before executing a pinpoint approach to set up a third consecutive birdie to set the clubhouse target of 15-under.
Once Law’s eagle attempt on 18 came up short, Ritchie was free to celebrate a sixth career title on the HotelPlanner Tour.
“It’s an unbelievable feeling,” he said. “I’ve always enjoyed coming here and always wanted to win this tournament.
“From 12 onwards was where the scores stagnated and there were a couple of tough holes coming in and I had an unbelievable finish.
“The 15th hole was crazy, and we all felt that was going to be a tough hole today. I managed to escape there with a bogey, knowing I was going to drop out the lead.
“I then managed a good birdie on 16 then chipped one in on 17 before hitting one close on the last and making the putt. I sort of had a feeling I was two or three ahead if I made the putt, I wasn’t really trying to make birdie but my hands kind of took over.”
Ritchie’s triumph in Portugal marks a second win of the season after his dominant display at the German Challenge supported by VcG. Now up to second in the season-long Road to Mallorca Rankings, the South African has his sights on ending the campaign as number one.
“I think after the win in Germany I felt like the job was pretty much done for next year,” he added.
“I am glad that it’s pretty much confirmed and that I can focus on trying to finish in the top five and even end the year as number one.”
Before the start of the 2025 season, Ritchie’s four HotelPlanner Tour victories had all come in his native South Africa. With two wins in Europe now added to his resume, the 31-year-old is pleased to see hard work finally pay off.
“It means a huge amount to win twice outside of South Africa this year,” he added.
“It’s been a tough one to deal with winning two of the events in SA and then coming out here and never finishing inside the top 20. I put in a lot of hard work last year and it seems to have paid off.”
Scotsman Law ended the week in solo second on 14-under-par with Frenchman Julien Sale finishing in third on 13-under-par, one shot ahead of Spaniard Quim Vidal in fourth place.
Law remains at the top of the Road to Mallorca Rankings with Ritchie jumping up six places from eighth following his victory. Italian Stefano Mazzoli, who started the week outside the promotion places, rose up to 19th position after placing inside the top 10 at Royal Óbidos.
The Road to Mallorca now heads to Italy for the Italian Challenge Open, taking place at Golf Nazionale, Sutri, from September 18-21.
