Cains lands Shire prize

Nick Cains (Swaffham) underlined his reputation as one of the region’s most promising young players with his second pro-am victory in four days.

Last week Cains, 24, shared top spot in the Bishop’s Stortford pro-am, alongside Glen Portelli.

On his latest assignment at The Shire, Norfolk’s rising star finished alone in front after firing a two-under-par 70.

Cains teed off at the tenth, making a fast start with a birdie three. He picked up another stroke at the par-5 11th to give his round real momentum.

That was just one of four birdies that he’d make on the par-5s as he came home two clear of runner-up Matthew Cousens (Grims Dyke).

Cains said: “I missed maybe one green and my ball-striking was really good, which it has been the last couple of weeks.

“I took advantage of the par-5s, hitting a lot of them in two but my putting is still letting me down a little bit.”

Cains has now mustered three regional pro-am victories this season, as well as landing the Summer Classic alongside amateur Matthew Strudwick.

And he is keen to take that sort of form into the year’s final Order of Merit event, the KJW Millbrook Masters on September 26-27.

Cains added: “I’ve played at Millbrook before and I quite like it round there, so I’m feeling good going into it.”