Wiggett and Thompson share Dudsbury lead

Bosom pals Lee Thompson and Mark Wiggett clash in a head-to-head challenge for the Dudsbury Masters title on their home course in Bournemouth today.

Benefiting from an early start, they posted rounds of five-under-par 66 to take a lead that stood all day in a bid for the £1,900 first prize.

Both players have won over the course in the past. Wiggett’s success came in the BMW event back in 2001. Thompson won the same tournament four years later and his last success at Dudsbury came last year.

The defending champion, his travelling companion Wiggett plus late starter Ross Langdon (Brickhampton Court), the interloper two shots behind, share the final tee-off slot. Former European Tour player Sion Bebb (Morlais Castle) also contends after carding 68.

Andrew Windsor (Knighton Heath), Christian Vine (Woodbury Park), Scott Drummond, Dan Toogood  (Weston-super-Mare), Robert Jackson (Morriston) and Phillip Price followed on 69 while home assistant Matt Williams was one of four more players under par.

It was breezy all day but, after a quiet early morning, the wind picked up later. Wiggett opened with three successive birdies and later added four more. Thompson contributed four birdies and an eagle on the sixth.

Langdon shrugged off a triple bogey seven at the third with a sparkling flawless inward nine of five-under 31. Bebb made three birdies in ten holes before returning in par.

A total of 23 players equalled or bettered par, a testimony both to the standard of play and the quality of the course and greens.