Jones returns to winning ways in Wales

Canford Magna’s Paul Jones won for the first time for ten months by recording the only sub-par round in the Henry Howard Finance-sponsored St Pierre pro-am.

His two-under 70 left him two shots clear of Welsh pair Richard Brookman  (Creigiau) and  James Maxwell  (Trefloyne).

He started with birdies at the third, fifth and seventh before making his only mistake at the ninth where he dropped two shots.

But he was quickly back on track on a day when crosswinds added to the difficulties over the former European Tour lay out in Wales.

He made further birdies at the tenth and 12th. Another followed at the 17th but dropped shots at the 16th and 18th pegged him back again. It completed a successful few days for the 36-year-old one-club man as he was runner-up at Sherborne.

Brookman, who suffered an injury last year, is now back to his best although he started badly with bogeys at the first and fourth holes.

An eagle at the 470-yard seventh and a birdie at the 14th put him under the card but he dropped a shot at the spectacular par three finishing hole.

Maxwell, winner of the South Wales Festival two years ago, also bogeyed the final hole but made birdies at the second, seventh and 16th.

Cornwall’s leading player Richard Sadler (Killiow), who is sampling the PGA Europro Tour this year, claimed fourth on 73 followed a shot further back by consistent Welsh pair Richard Dinsdale (Parc Golf Academy) and Joe Ferguson (Celtic Manor). 

Ferguson brought in the winning Celtic Manor team on 85 points, leading 2010 course captain Michael Owen, Welsh junior open champion 17-year-old Josh Davies and Andrew Farr.

Paul Jones, Charlie Heaven, Sam Loyd and John Price were four points behind while Brookman headed Creigou Golf Club’s Adam Stamenkovich, Simon Westphal and Gareth Jones into third on 79, beating  Craig Dun’s  St Pierre trio of Ian Doyle, John Ireland, John Simpson over the back six holes.