Matt Ford is reaping the benefits of rediscovering an old friend.

The 42-year-old from Bearsted has rolled back the years by changing his putter, and it's had a positive impact on his game.

Ford was on red-hot form on the final day of the Open de Portugal on Sunday, shooting an eight-under par 64 to finish in the top 20. And he put it all down to his form with the putter.

"I was really happy with the last round," said Ford. "I played pretty decent all week but my putter was cold for three days.

"I was getting a bit frustrated but it finally warmed up on the last day. I ended up finishing where I felt I deserved to be.

"Part of the frustration was that I felt I was putting well but nothing was going in.

"I even joked to my caddie that I had found my range at one stage. I'd get to within 10 or 20 feet and not hole many.

"But then I had a run of five holes out of seven or eight when I left myself 30-feet and managed to hole three or four of them.

"That gave me a lot of confidence and then I started to hole the closer ones as well.

"Putting is huge for me, I haven't putted well for a few years but I went back to an old putter in the winter and I've putted better since then."

Ford has made several changes to his putter since he reached the European Tour through qualifying school.

"It's been mostly small changes," he said. "I've tried most things over the years but I've gone back to one that I got my card with at Q-school five years ago.

"It's an odyssey seven tank and I feel more confident with it.

"You are always trying to strive for perfection and find more.

"They say on tour that if you can hole 15 or 20-feet putts that's the key but by focusing on that I was missing from six or 10-feet.

"But really if you are solid in there, and I've been solid from 10-feet lately, then you feel great and I think that's more important."

Ford's impressive finish in Portugal was a continuation of a positive 2020, despite the background of uncertainty given the impact of coronavirus.

He'll play in 11 tournaments this year - instead of the usual 25 -and 'promotion' to the European Tour is all but off the agenda.

"I've played some nice stuff this year," said Ford. "I played quite nicely in January and February in South Africa.

"Lockdown gave me a chance to reset and it feels like a free role of the dice.

"It's taken the pressure off, all I'm doing is playing a few tournaments and trying to pick up some money and play good golf.

"There's a slightly different perspective as the target to finish high on the rankings is still a goal - but that's not the main goal.

"I've had some time at home and home schooling, and I've decided I'm better off playing golf!"

The Road to Mallorca is still there this year on the Challenge Tour, with the final due to be played at the end of November, but the top 20 players no longer qualify for a place on the European Tour due to the shortened season.

Ford's got three more tournaments before that finale - in Italy and Spain - and is hoping to maintain his positive run.

"One win is huge so if I can have a couple of half-decent events then that's the goal for me," he said.

One obstacle that he appeared to overcome in Portugal was fading away in the final round.

Ford acknowledged it's been a problem at times, but he knows he's got the capability to put four good rounds together.

"I've got myself into contention before and then not quite finished the tournament off," he said.

"That's mainly been down to my putting - that's been a constant.

"There's a mindset there, though, and you have to forget about it. It's easier to come from the back of the field and putt well rather than going out in the last group or two.

"I know I can do it. I've putted well in South Africa and Hong Kong before in the final round, I've done it again this week, so I need to focus on those good memories and forget the bad ones."

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