Fifth win for outstanding Licata

Giuseppe Licata maintained his stranglehold on the Gloucester and Somerset Total Triumph PGA Order of Merit with his fifth win of the season after a bogey free four-under-par 67 at Thornbury.

It was the 13^th time in 16 completed events that the Bristol Golf Centre player had claimed a top three finish in the winter series of medals as he extended his OOM lead.

Forest of Dean assistant David Morris, who was playing in only his second professional event, was the surprise but deserved runner up one shot behind.

For the first time this year it was a perfect day for golf - dry, calm and not too cold by recent standards. The 27 strong field found the Marlwood course surprisingly dry and in superb condition and the tees were stretched to cover the full length of the course.

Licata’s winning score was made on the back nine. He opened with 10 pars. Then he picked up shots at the 11^th and 12^th before collecting another brace of birdies at the 16^th and 17^th holes.

But for a change he didn’t pocket the birdie sweep as that went to ‘new face’ Morris, who is in the first year of his PGA training under Stuart Jenkins in the Forest of Dean. He racked up seven. He gained shots at the first, fifth, seventh, 11^th, 14^th, 15^th and 16^th as he earned his first cheque as a professional.

Four players shared third with one-under-par scores of 70 and five were just another shot behind as almost half of the field finished at par or better. David Dixon (Enmore Park), Roy Baker (Isle of Wedmore), Paul Gravell (Players Club) and the currently unattached James Keitch, formerly of Taunton Vale, shared the final prize money. Gravell was also the leading over 40s player.