Pyman forges ahead with new irons

Iain Pyman practised what he preaches with a superb five-under-par 66 to head a big field in The PGA in England and Wales (North) Manchester Open at Marriott Worsley Park.

And the former European Tour player, who now teaches at Waterfront Golf in Rotherham, achieved it with a brand new set of Nike irons from which he had to remove the cellophane wrappers before starting his round!

“They arrived at my home yesterday and I didn't even have time to try them out," explained the 41-year-old Yorkshireman.

"I'd never used that brand of club before but they certainly did the trick today," he said after an eagle at the 534-yard 13^th to add to his four birdies.

"When I came off the Challenge Tour last year I decided to spend the rest of my career coaching so I'd only played half-a-dozen times in the last six months," he added.

Pyman goes into tomorrow's second and final round a shot ahead of Stockport's Danny Wardrop and Fleetwood's David Corsby.

Two off the pace are his Waterfront clubmate Ben Mason, who won the De Vere Leeds Cup earlier this month and the Manchester Open two years ago, and Owston Hall's James Freeman.