First win for Elliot at Knowle

Tim Elliott (right) with Luke Collins at the Golfbreaks.com PGA Fourball Championship.

Tall Pines pair Tim Elliott and Luke Collins shared top spot with Chipping Sodbury’s Giuseppe Licata in the opening event of the Gloucester and Somerset PGA Winter season at Knowle.

It was a special day for Bristolian Elliott as it was his first victory as a professional. Collins, once one of England’s outstanding amateurs has won before.

Licata was the first to post plus-one 71 on a tricky day because of heavy rain showers and a swirling blustery wind. He began his defence of the Total Triumph Order of Merit  with birdies at the seventh and 13th and another at the 18^th.

The Knowle greenstaff made a fine effort in clearing the debris from the fairways at the South Bristol venue in the aftermath of Storm Aileen as the 29 players set off in autumnal sunshine.

Elliott made birdies at the second and fourth holes but dropped four shots until he also made a four at the downhill closing par five. Collins picked up shots at the second, fifth and 13th holes along with four bogeys.

Mark Plummer, now attached to Cirencester, returned to the local scene to claim fourth on 72. Ian Brown (Newent) and Louis Boston (Stockwood Vale) shared fifth one shot further back. Boston’s two eagles helped him collect the birdie sweep.