BIG-HITTING Julian Hamilton-Taylor has booked a place in the sun after a nail-biting sudden-death victory over Christchurch team-mate Steve Gillette at Ferndown Golf Cub.

The 29-year-old sales representative won the Daily Echo's Sunshine Challenge match play final at the first extra hole with a birdie three following a titanic tussle with 14-handicapper Gillette.

A delighted Hamilton-Taylor said: "All credit to Steve, it was the first time I have been more than two holes down in any of my matches.

"At one point I was just trying to make a game of it," added the nine-handicapper, who wins a seven-day golfing holiday in Portugal next month.

Gillette raced to a three-hole lead after seven holes. He took the advantage for the first time after a massive drive helped set up a birdie at the fourth.

A turning point in the match came at the 438-yard 11th hole, when Hamilton-Taylor nailed an eight iron to within two feet for a birdie three.

An unflappable Hamilton-Taylor went on to win the next two holes with pars to level the match.

But Gillette was in no mood to throw in the towel and snatched the lead with a five at his final stroke hole at the 15th.

And the 42-year-old train driver looked on track for victory before leaving an eight-foot putt short as rain swept over the 16th green.

Both players seemed to thrive under the pressure and a pumped up Hamilton-Taylor punched the air after sinking a 20-foot putt for birdie to level the match at the penultimate hole.

All square going down the last, and with the momentum in Hamilton-Taylor's favour, Gillette held his nerve with an excellent approach shot to within 15 foot of the pin.

Hamilton-Taylor responded with two putts from distance for a par four, while his opponent spurned another chance to clinch the title by leaving his putt short.

The quality of play was reflected in the scores with Hamilton-Taylor posting a three-over-par gross 74 while Gillette was just a further four shots behind.

The temperament of both players during the final was impeccable and there was no ground given with each player having to carve out a lead with the highest-calibre of golf.

And there was no exception at the first extra hole when both players found the green in regulation with Hamilton-Taylor securing the crown with a 12-foot birdie putt.

Hamilton-Taylor began the finals day as favourite after knocking out the all-conquering Paul Fowell, of Wareham, 6 and 5 in the quarter-finals.

Fowell had been unbeaten over the past two years, successfully defending his Bournemouth title at Broadstone last September followed by victory in the Algarve.

The newly-crowned champion looks more than capable of carrying on the successful Bournemouth tradition when he competes against 11 other provincial newspaper winners in Portugal on November 7-14.

Hamilton-Taylor will be staying at the four-star Almansor Hotel in Carvoeiro and will play his three competitive stableford rounds at Boavista, Morgado and Palmares golf courses.

Gillette, meanwhile, received a golfing voucher worth £200 as part payment to any Bill Goff golfing holiday to be taken over the next 12 months.

"I shall definitely be defending my title next year," said Hamilton-Taylor.

"This is the first time I have entered and it is probably the best value for £10 I have ever spent! The chance to play at such a prestigious club as Ferndown was a fantastic bonus."