Brennan wins first pro-am over home course

Nick Brennan is playing the best golf of his life after providing one of the shocks in the Glenmuir Club Professionals Championship at Slaley Hall where he finished joint fourth to secure a place in the PGA Cup team to play against the United States in September.

Now the 30-year-old Dubliner has achieved his first pro-am win in his seventh year as professional at Bowood.

He shot four-under-par 67 over his home course in the Microsoft Masters pro-am that preceded the Race to Woodbury Park 36-hole order of merit tournament.

Brennan, who earned a degree in Applied Golf Management Studies at Birmingham University, and then worked at Hambrook Golf Centre in Bristol for a year, made birdies at the two par fives on the front nine, the first and sixth, but dropped shots at the par fours fourth and fifth.

His challenge really started over the last eight holes with four pars and birdies at the  par three 11th, par fives 12th and 13th and another at the par four 16th where a bunker in the centre of the fairway can catch even the best drives.

But he was denied outright victory by Sion Bebb, who has been in dominant form in the West this year.

He would have won but he dropped his only shot on the par-four final hole where bunkers either side of the fairway tend to catch even the best hit drives.

He birdied the seventh and eighth and added three more in succession from the 12th in the steadiest round of the day.

Michael Watson (Wessex) was tied third after starting with nine pars before he dropped his only shot at the 10th. He finished with birdies at the 12th, 16th and 17th.

Lee Thompson (Dudsbury) also carded two-under after starting with two birdies. He dropped shots at the eighth and 15th and regained them at the 13th and 16th.