Bond takes one-shot lead at Bowood

Liam Bond (Marriott St Pierre Hotel) made up for the disappointment missing the cut in the Scottish Hydro Challenge Tour event at Aviemore last week by taking the halfway lead in his next tournament.

He shot two-under-par 70 in the first round of the 36-hole Microsoft Masters at Bowood Golf, hotel and Country Club in Wiltshire, one of the counting events in the Race to Woodbury Park Order of Merit.

He held a one-shot lead over Stuart Little (Minchinhampton New) and Scott Porter (Dorset Golf & Country Club) going into the final round.

But the chase for the £1,667 first prize is wide open as Rod Hibbitt (Cotswold Edge), reigning Order of Merit champion Matthew Dearden (Llantrisant & Pontyclun), Paul Jones (Canford Magna), Martyn Thompson (Parkstone) and Sion Bebb (Vale Hotel Golf & Spa Resort) are just two shots behind.

And the immaculately-presented course holds many chances for mistakes as 10 more players are only three shots behind the leader.

Bond, who won the opening OOM tournament the Total Triumph Challenge, was coasting at three-under-par 33 after nine holes with birdies at the fifth, sixth and ninth. But he quickly dropped shots at the 10th and 11th, making a further bogey at the 16th after back-to-back birdies at the 13th and 14th.

Little also dropped three shots but made four birdies while Porter picked up three birdies and dropped a shot at the seventh. Just as he looked certain to share the lead with Bond he bogeyed the final hole.

Hibbitt’s round was boosted by an ace at the 162-yard uphill par three third hole but he made only one birdie at the 17th. Thompson’s round was enhanced by an eagle at the par five 13th.