Broadway’s Berry the man at Failand

Russell Berry broke 70 for the first time in five starts this season to win the Gloucester and Somerset PGA medal at Bristol & Clifton by three shots.

The Cheltenham-based Broadway professional shot four-under-par 66 in another field of more than 30 at the Failand venue where a forecast of a foggy morning failed to materialise.

Louis Boston (Stockwood Vale), Ian Brown (Newent) and James Hannam (Bath) carded one-under rounds of 69 as the only other players to better par.

Berry has started to play more regularly in county events again since taking up a role at the club on the Gloucestershire/Worcestershire border and was in top form to secure his first win of the campaign.

The 30-year-old, who was long associated with Cleeve Hill, made a steady start playing in the final group and collected five of his six birdies in the final ten holes, three in the final four holes.

Hannam also posted three late birdies over the last five holes after opening with a bogey and faltering with a double at the 11^th.

Brown made three 3’s in the first four holes but was unable to maintain that pace until his closing birdie. Boston followed up his success in the opening event of the season at Knowle with another good showing as four birdies were offset by a trio of bogeys.

Ed Goodwin (Cirencester), virtually an ever present in the top five in recent weeks, tied with talented assistants Dan Toogood (Weston-super-Mare) and Will Hobbs (Mendip Spring) for fifth on level par 70.

Goodwin now leads the Total Triumph Order of Merit for the first time this year ahead of Ashley Mansell and, in this form, should again be contending for the crown at the end of the season.