Another win for Watson

Michael Watson made it back-to-back wins with a return of seven-under-par 64 in the Players Championship pro-am at Cumberwell Park.

The late starter from Wessex Golf Centre dropped his only shot at the second before cutting loose on what was an immaculately-presented course, softened by weekend rain.

Four birdies on the way out and four more at the 11^th 12^th, 17^th and 18^th were enough to sneak ahead of joint clubhouse leaders Scott Drummond (Skills Group) and Matt Dearden (Vale Resort).

Drummond also made eight birdies but dropped shots at the fourth and 15^th. Dearden’s flawless 65 included four birdies and an eagle at the 12^th.

Watson won at West Wilts last week and is in the kind of form to make a major impact on the 36-hole tournament which starts today. He finished fourth in the previous Order of Merit events, the Total Triumph Classic and the Dudsbury Masters.

Former West Assistants champion Nick Korynevsky, a Cumberwell member who now works for Callaway Golf, also made eight birdies over a course he knows so well to share fourth with Adam Frayne (Yelverton) on five-under 66.

Frayne won the championship two years ago so will clearly be a genuine contender again this week. He made seven birdies but dropped two shots at the sixth.

Charlie Cossins (Orchardleigh) and Toby Hunt (St Mellons) shared sixth on 67.

Seventeen of the 46 players broke par on a perfect warm, sunny day for scoring.

Richard ‘O’Hanlon (St Kew) led the Grenke team of Gary Standon, Richard Maunder and Peter Maunder to the team prize on 92. They beat the A J Removals team of Kieran Bye, Liam O’Mara and Adam Jolly, led by James Hanham (Bath) on countback.

Alex Blewett, a Cumberwell assistant, won his first cheque by piloting Ashmead Roofing into third on 90. The trio of Mo Mousley, Si Mealing and Mark Swift pipped Watson’s Turier Scales team on countback.