Ed extends Order of Merit battle

Cirencester’s Ed Goodwin is not about to relinquish his grip on the Gloucester and Somerset PGA Total Triumph Order of Merit title just yet.

His six-under-par 64 at the Isle of Wedmore ensured he can still mathematically catch Giuseppe Licata (Bristol Golf Centre) with only the 36-hole Total Triumph Strokeplay Championship to come.

And the added bonus is that double points are on offer.

The leading 14 players are also guaranteed a spot in next season’s opening Matchplay Championship while the top three will represent the G&S PGA in the regional round of the PGA County Championships in September.

On a dry but overcast day flawless Goodwin, fresh from a top ten finish in the Saunton Classic the previous week, made six birdies and 12 pars no dropped shots. He finished two clear of Saunton winner David Dixon (Enmore Park).

He made three birdies on each half with his outward gains at the first, fifth and eighth.

Then he took advantage of two of Wedmore’s trio of back-to-back par fives as he birdied the 13th and 14th and picked up his final shot at the awkward 17th. Dixon also matched the haul of six birdies to share the birdie sweep but dropped two shots.

In-form duo Daryl Kelley (Filton) and Robin Goodey (Chipping Sodbury) shared third place on one-under-par.  Goodey moved closer to the absent Roy Holland (Long Ashton) in third place in the OOM.