MICHAEL Hunt powered 'Tiger-style' through the Harold Ryden Trophy final in one of the most phenomenal matches in the competition's 30-year history.

The 22-year-old beat Nelson's Craig Fort on the 16th to lift the Lancashire Evening Telegraph sponsored cup.

"I just sent it home," said the Burnley player, of the putt that won him the trophy.

"Cliff (Hopwood, Hunt's caddy) had his arms in the air and I was just looking round for my mum. I couldn't find her to start with.

"She was a bit emotional. She was welling up and I nearly went too!"

Hunt was overwhelmed with his performance, one of his best ever.

"Off the tee tonight I was awesome," he beamed. "I hit my shot how I wanted it, someone said I'd ripped up the middle of the fairway.

"It was the best golf I have ever been involved in, for so many people to have been there to watch that display was awesome."

More than 100 people turned up from both camps to cheer their respective players on.

"My phone never stopped ringing all day with messages of support," said Hunt. "It was phenomenal.

"I had been nervous in the quarter finals and semis but I was told to just go out there and enjoy it because it is a celebration of our golf. And I didn't feel as nervous as I had done in the other rounds.

"I birdied the first hole and that calmed me down."

Fort won the second hole and the pair were neck and neck on the third and fourth. Hunt went one up on the fifth with a birdie but Fort levelled on the sixth, the last hole he was to win. Holes seven, eight and nine were halved as the each tried to out-play the other.

"It was fantastic golf," said Hunt. "We were two under par at that stage and we were walking down and just said 'let's keep this going'.

"I never lost the honour of teeing off after that so Craig never got the chance to put any pressure on me."

Hunt nailed a tricky putt on the 13th -- 'I got the pace just right' -- and then hit the 14th like a champion.

"The 14th was Tiger-style," smiled Hunt. "It looked good all the way and it just dipped at the last minute. And there was my fist up in the air just as Tiger does.

"I knew then I was a massive step closer to the winning it."

Hunt hopes to turn professional at the end of the year and on this showing he could have a massive future ahead of him.

"There are names like Paul Dwyer on the Harold Ryden trophy and to see him doing well on the Challenge Tour now shows that it can be done.

"It is one thing to play well out there but it is another to play the courses that these guys play. That is another four or five years down the line. I just want to keep this going for now."

Fort, who found himself picking up the runners-up prize for the second time in his amateur career last night, congratulated Hunt on a superb game.

"Michael thoroughly deserved the win," said the 30-year-old. "He struck the ball well all the way round and never looked like being in trouble."

And Fort had a message of support for Michael as he thinks about turning professional.

"I had the chance about 10 years ago," he said. "But I didn't put enough into it.

"It comes down to a lot of hard work and dedication but there's no reason why he won't be able to make a go of it."

At the presentation following his win Hunt proudly accepted his trophy and said: "This is it, I've finally win something big. To play golf like I have done tonight; I'll never forget it."