Lee hits top form in Gwalia

Former Glenmuir PGA Professional champion James Lee produced his best golf for years to canter home by five shots in the Gwalia Housing Trust pro-am at Langland Bay.

The Caerphilly club professional and chairman of the PGA of England and Wales South West made his first winner’s speech since the Maesteg Pro-Am three years ago.

He acknowledged the praise from the organisers at the Swansea course by saying: “My congratulations to The Gwalia Trust who have been running the pro-am for 25 years and are still going strong. The course and company were fantastic.”

So was his golf on a day when only two other players broke par, almost exactly five years after his PGA triumph at Dundonald Links that earned a spot in the PGA Cup team.

Lee was out in four-under 32 with birdies at the second, fourth, seventh and eighth. He followed with another 32 on the back nine with birdies at 11, 12 and 17 marred by his only bogey at the 13^th.

Mark Govier (Machynys Peninsula) marked his first appearance of the season with a steady one-under-par 69 containing two birdies and one bogey at the par five 15^th.

European Seniors Tour winner and another PGA Cup man George Ryall (Players Club) matched that score in a more adventurous round. His mixed bag started with a bogey before he birdied the second and made an eagle two at the third. Birdies at the fifth and sixth took him to four-under but he shed three shots on the way home.

Home assistant Gavin Godber was one of five players who shared fourth on his pro-am debut. He made four birdie threes and four bogey fives. Another newcomer Daniel Warwick (Celtic Manor Resort) and established Welsh stars Paul Mayor and Brian Lee, the two ex-Newport Golf Club players, and prolific winner Sion Bebb (Morlais Castle) were also level.