Nicholls holds his nerve to win at Stonebridge

Jeremy Nicholls refused to let inauspicious starts to the outward and inward halves blow him off course in pursuit of victory in the Midlands Q School #1 at Stonebridge Golf Club.

Nicholls, the PGA pro at Ledene Golf Centre, Wolverhampton, began the Somers loop of the 27-hole complex at Meriden with a bogey.

And he followed suit at the start of the Hampton loop on the way home.

By then, however, Nicholls had made amends with birdies at the fourth, fifth and eighth holes to reach the turn in two-under and lead the 34-strong field by two strokes.

Jack Lynch (Tapton Park) and Simon Davies (Shrewsbury) turned up the heat on Nicholls by completing the back nine in one-under to post rounds of 69.

But they had to settle for sharing the £250 runner’s up cheque as Nicholls repelled their challenge by cancelling out two bogeys with birdies to post a two-under round of 68 and claim the £250 first prize.