Shoebury golf professional Richard McEvoy hopes it will be a case of "hats off" when he aims for a repeat triumph in the Latin American country of Panama.

Late last year, in the second event of this season's European Challenge Tour, McEvoy triumphed in the Panasonic Panama Open.

Now he returns for the Panama Masters, which started today and carries a first prize of 15,000 plus euros.

To win the Open McEvoy produced a stunning finish of five birdies in the closing eight holes for his triumph.

McEvoy's three appearances in the four Challenge events so far has earned him winnings of 28,327.47 euros and currently sees him third in the rankings.

He needs a position in the top 15 by the end of the campaign to regain his card for the full European Tour, which he lost after just one season at the end of the 2004 campaign.