THE scene was set for a thrilling finish to the Port Fairy Golf Club championship, with two players level before teeing off at the final hole.But the excitement evaporated soon after one of the leaders took their swing.Tony Allen's ball got stuck up in a pine tree, taking the pressure off fellow leader Nick Hoggan."It saddened me because it's not the type of thing you want to happen to the other competitor," said Hoggan, who birdied on the 18th to grab his first championship on Sunday.The Portland golfer's victory gave him a slice of redemption after he finished last year's event as runner-up."I was in the same situation last year," he said. "It was all square hitting off the final tee."While he lost by a single shot in 2008, this year he shot a final round 80 to finish with a 72-hole total of 313 - two strokes ahead of Allen (82, 315).The pair had a tight tussle from the second round of the four-round championship. They were even heading into the final day."I was a little bit nervous but it was nothing I hadn't experienced before," Hoggan said. The champion edged in front at the 12th, when he birdied while Allen lost his ball.With four holes to play, Hoggan had a five-stroke lead."(Allen) had a par three and I double bogeyed," the 24-year-old said. "On the 16th I hit a ball out of bounds."Hoggan bogeyed at the 17th while Allen parred - setting up the thrilling finale.While he felt for the runner-up, Hoggan was honoured to get the win."It's the pinnacle event of any club and the main thing that people play for," he said. "To win it is very exciting."In the B grade, 13-year-old Nelson Williams was declared champion, with the up-and-coming junior shooting a final round 82 to finish with a total of 342.He edged out Anthony Dixon (344).Mick Miller enjoyed an exceptional 29-shot victory in the C grade competition over Leon Cook while the D grade was taken out by Michael Hunt (380).Barry McCosh (384) was runner-up.