Win number 12 for Watson

Michael Watson landed the 12^th win of his most successful season to-date by winning over the championship links course at Burnham and Berrow with a five-under-par 66.

The prolific Wessex Golf Centre player, who has also clinched the region’s Order of Merit for the first time, beat Yelverton’s Adam Frayne by two shots.

Frayne recovered from the shock of losing two balls off the tee at the 376-yard third hole but he made a birdie with his third ball and followed with a flurry of birdies. He made four in six holes from the 12^th for a haul of seven in the round.

This kept him one stroke ahead of former Ryder Cup player Phillip Price, fresh from finishing 32^nd in the ISPS Handa Welsh Open at Celtic Manor. The Welshman threatened to run away with the day after carding five birdies in the first ten holes. But a double bogey seven at the 13^th and a bogey at the last proved costly.

Watson’s day was founded on eight birdies including four in a row from the seventh. He also dropped three shots on par threes, two at the fifth and another at the 17^th.

In-form Paul Hendriksen (Dinnaton), Martyn Thompson (Parkstone), Richard O'Hanlon (St Kew) and Ed Goodwin (Cirencester) shared fourth on level par 71.

Home assistant Shane Kaye led Mwino Griffiths, Phil Worth and Alan Hughes to the team prize on 87 points. They beat Ashley Moon (Okehampton), Paul Skidmore, Rod Wright and Alan Ferris by two points with Ed Goodwin (Cirencester), Hamish Mason, Nick Brown and Tom Stone third on 84.