Hutsby in the hunt in Portugal (From This is Hampshire)

Hutsby in the hunt in Portugal (From This is Hampshire)

LIPHOOK'S Sam Hutsby shot a level par opening round at the Portuguese Amateur Championship today.

The 20-year-old is competing in the first major European event of the season at the Troia Golf Resort.

Hutsby's 72 put him into the top ten, with some scores still to come in, and well in contention after the first 18 holes.

Hutsby, who is ranked as Britain's number one amateur, started at the tenth and bogeyed his opening hole.

He then shot pars all the way, other than a birdie at the eighth - his penultimate hole.

Hutsby is next week due to compete in the Spanish Amateur Championship, which he won in 2006.