Jason's joy after first hole albatross

Jason Dransfield has enjoyed many memorable moments in his professional career but an albatross at the 501-yard opening hole at High Legh Park in the PGA North Assistants' Championship of Cheshire will take some beating.

The former Europro Tour player, a first year trainee at Didsbury, blocked his tee shot then decided to take a chance by going for the green.

"I was thinking about laying up but at the last moment I changed my mind. I took out my five wood and the 220 yards shot pitched straight into the hole.

"I'm not likely to forget it because you don't expect an albatross every day!"

And his stroke of genius proved crucial in the final reckoning as he signed for a one-under-par 70 matched by Pwllheli's Mark Pilkington, winner of the Lancashire version of the series and runner-up in the Yorkshire, who was beaten at the first extra hole after finding a fairway bunker.

Dransfield, 34, from Hoylake, lost his concentration when he bogeyed the last three holes on the front nine but he hit straight back with a birdie at the 10th then parred his way home.

"I played solid golf, nothing spectacular apart from the albatross!" he added.

He's undecided about what to do when he completes his three-year training stint. "I may go down the coaching route and still have ambitions of playing but I'm keeping my options open," he said.

Dransfield, an avid Liverpool fan, revealed he received coaching from Nick Faldo who advised him to turn professional after he caddied for him at Hoylake in the grand final of his junior series.