Welsh in the fast lane

The two Welsh representatives contesting the Virgin Atlantic PGA National Pro-Am Championship in Mexico hijacked the modus operandi of local cartoon character Speedy Gonzales in the first of its two rounds.

Speedy, as he is referred to in these parts, is known as 'The Fastest Mouse in all Mexico' and the pairs from Parc Golf Academy, Newport, and Vale of Llangollen Golf Club, set the pace in the grand final of Europe's largest pro-am.

At the end of the first 18 holes over the Dunes and Jungle loops of the Jack Nicklaus-designed Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort, Cancun, they have established a three-stroke advantage over the remainder of the 16-strong field.

Both carded seven-under-par rounds of 65 to share the lead in pursuit of the £5,000 cheque on offer to the winning PGA professional in a tournament also supported by SkyCaddie and BMW.

All of which puts Parc's Richard Dinsdale on course to become the first PGA professional to win the event for the second time.

Dinsdale, who claimed the trophy at Vale do Lobo, Portugal, in tandem with J P Kim in 2006, has a different partner in 39-year-old Craig Jones.

However, Jones had to accept a supporting role as Dinsdale accounted for six of the duo's seven birdies in an error free round.

"We didn't drop a shot over what is a tough course," said the delighted Dinsdale. "Craig didn't have the best of times in the practice round but was fine today.

"You have to think your way round this course and we did that, so I'm very pleased."

Dinsdale goes into the final round rich in experience when it comes to closing out tournaments: as well as this event, he has won the PGA Pro-Captain Challenge and, as an individual, the Ryder Cup Wales 2010 Welsh Open PGA Championship.

In addition to being battle-hardened, having represented Wales in the PGAs of Europe International Team Championship in Portugal last month, he is also tournament tuned.

"That makes him and his partner favourites to win this," said Lee Rooke, an assistant PGA professional at the Vale of Llangollen and joint occupant of pole position.

By contrast with Dinsdale, who was the dominant partner in the Parc pairing, Rooke was indebted to his amateur sidekick, Wrexham's Nick Jones, for going into the final day on level terms.

"Having a partner was the secret of my success," admitted Rooke. "I birdied a couple of holes and we had one bogey between us. But he's an eight-handicapper and he used his shots very well."

Rooke and his 40-year-old partner, however, are not the sole threat to Dinsdale's and Parc's chances of becoming the first PGA professional and club to have their names engraved on the trophy for the second time.

Three shots adrift of the joint leaders after posting a four-under-par round of 68 are Martyn Thomson, the PGA professional at Parkstone Golf Club, Bournemouth, and Grant Batchelor, his amateur partner.

Thompson, like Dinsdale, has previous in this event, having won it in 2003.