Thompson shares with Bragg at Minchinhampton

Lee Thompson won the Minchinhampton New pro-am over the Avening course at Gloucestershire’s leading venue while using a set of new clubs for the first time.

The Dudsbury man finished with three successive birdies to share top spot with visiting player Darren Bragg, head professional at the North London Golf Academy, who only plays occasionally but showed that he has lost none of the form he showed playing in Asia and on the Challenge Tour.

The former PGA Order of Merit winner, with close connections to nearby Stinchcombe Hill Golf Club, recovered from dropping a shot at the first hole. He followed with seven birdies, five in an impressive back nine of 31 at the tenth, 13^th, 15^th, 17^th and 18^th, marred by one further bogey at the 12^th.

Thompson’s fifth win of another prolific season was shaped by a birdie at the third and eagle at 11^th. He dropped his sole shot on the 12^th before his birdie blitz finish.

His close pal and coach, home teaching pro Stuart Little, threatened to upstage him. The big-hitting left hander, last man on the course, looked a probable winner after an eagle at the eighth and birdies at the sixth, 11^th and 16^th. But he dropped his second shot at the par-three 17^th and a birdie at the last left him a shot behind on 66.

Wiltshire’s Craig Bell was joint fourth in his first outing of the season. He was the only player not to drop a shot. Fifteen pars and birdies at the seventh, eighth and 11^th completed a flawless round.  He was joined on 67 by former Ryder Cup player Phillip Price, who made five birdies but dropped two shots, and David Dixon (Enmore Park).

The leading pair collected £1,000 each from an enhanced prize fund boosted by sponsorship from Edward Trehearne Wealth Management. John

Trolan, chief executive of the Nelson Trust, presented the prizes with club captain Paul Wilson.

Bragg’s HGBB team of Patrick Holmes, Terry Guildford and Victoria Bailey won the Richard Lister Memorial Trophy as the leading team on 88 points.

Filton’s Daryl Kelley led the Remit team of Chris Bushell, Peter Fisher and Graham Houldershaw into second on 86. Eagle Mill Carpets trio Ben Taylor John Dennis and Alan Taylor, piloted by Thompson, were two shots adrift in third.