Fabulous Farr is European winner

The 26-year-old from Ludlow carded a two under par final round 70 to finish two shots clear of a packed field after a dramatic day in which the lead changed hands several times at National Golf Club.

The course in the southern Turkish resort of Belek provided a stern test for the players, but Farr produced the goods at crunch time to come from three shots back at the start of the day and finish top on two under par.

Despite a slow start, bogeying the first hole on the way to a level par front nine, the Shropshire man came out fighting on the back nine and, while a birdie at the par three 11th was soon followed by a bogey at the 14th, he cancelled that out straight away with a four at the par five 15th.

Then came the performance of a true champion, as he placed a perfect drive down the 18th before firing a superb approach over the greenside water hazard to five feet, tapping in for a birdie and a first Challenge Tour title in just the fourth tournament of his rookie season.

"I'm ecstatic with the win," said Farr, who won two of the last three events to win the satellite EuroPro Tour Order of Merit last year. "They were three of the best shots of my life (at the last).

Farr discovered on Tuesday that his grandfather had passed away and he was close to withdrawing in order to travel home. In the end, his win was a most fitting tribute and he admitted the emotion had spurred him on in the final day.

"It's been a tough week for my family," said the former Wales international amateur, who climbed 150 places to fifth in the Challenge Tour Rankings. "We lost my grandfather Malcolm on Tuesday and I wanted to go home but my parents forced me to stay."