'Surprised' Brunton leads way at Hoylake

PGA in England and Wales (North) PGA Professionals walked in the spikemarks of the great and good when they competed in the third event in the Mansell Finishes Winter Series at Royal Liverpool.

There were no shock winners when the Open Championship was staged at the same venue in July, but on this less auspicious occasion Ringway's David Brunton admitted that he was "surprised" to head the strong field with a three-under-par 69 because it's been some time since his last victory.

"I'm happy with that score but I didn't expect to win," he said after handing in a card featuring four birdies, three on the outward half, offset by a lone bogey at the fourth.

Hot on his heels, a stroke adrift, were Fleetwood's David Corsby, Aran Wainwright, from Mid-Yorks, and Cheshire-based Chris Sands (Skycaddie UK).

Despite his absence, Mossock Hall's David Shacklady held on to his top spot in the Order of Merit at the half-way point of the series which resumes on March 10 at Formby.