No margin for error in PGA East Region Championship

Defending champion James Watts was in a familiar berth after the first round of the PGA East Region Championship at Bishop’s Stortford Golf Club but he had to share pole position with three others.

Watts (above), who is attached to the Kingsway Golf Centre and has won the PGA Fourball Championship in tandem with Jack Winer for the past two years, posted a two-under-par round of 69.

That followed an inauspicious start with a bogey at the par-five third but there were no further mishaps as he atoned with birdies at six, 12 and 14.

Conversely, his three companions at the top of the leaderboard all stumbled towards the ends of their respective rounds.

Thorpe Hall Golf Club’s Mark Talbott bogeyed the 15^th after birdies at two, seven and 14 and Nicholas Cunningham of Bedford and County Golf Club bogeyed 16 and 17 before signing off with a birdie.

Meanwhile Ben Wyatt of The Rayleigh Club eagled the par-five third and looked set to be the outright leader after leaving the 14^th hole on four-under.

But bogeys at 15 and 18 consigned him to the quartet leading the chase for the £1,800 winner’s cheque.

However, with the top 21 golfers on one-over or better, their lead is a slender one and the tournament is wide open.

Full scores can be accessed here

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