Rookie Howe joins the Lotus pacesetters

Two opposite ends of the golfing spectrum coped better than anyone else during a soggy first day at the Lotus Financial Services Invitational event at South Staffordshire, the first of this season's six PGA Midlands Order of Merit competitions.

Of the early starters who had the worst of the weather to contend with, young assistant pro Luke Howe (above) from Brocton Hall, who qualified for the event at tour school in April, outshone many of the more fancied names in the field by shooting a two-under-par 69, a round containing five birdies.

Joining him at the top of the leaderboard was the considerably more experienced Paul Broadhurst. The ex Ryder Cup star birdied two of the closing holes in a steady round to share the halfway lead.

Later in the day they were joined by Thomas Rastall from Sleaford GC. The Lincolnshire ace also finished with a flourish as he matched Howe's tally of birdies in his 69.

The bad weather at least had the effect of keeping the field tightly-packed with four golfers sitting together just two shots back after level par 71s.

With a much improved forecast for today, an exciting finish is in prospect with some of the leading Midlands lights such as Peter Baker (72), Ian Walley (72), Simon Lilly (73) and Paul Streeter (73) firmly in contention.