GARY Sawyer was once one of the most successful golfers in Wiltshire and featured regularly on the leaderboards until he became a key member of staff at former West Region chairman golf Tony Valentine’s retail enterprise at Corsham, writes PETER GODSIFF.

But the Westbury-based player still makes his only pro-am appearance of the season at his former West Wilts club’s event – and he usually does well, despite not practicing or playing.

He re-appeared again this year with a highly satisfactory performance. A four-under-par 66 over the rugged hill-top course at Warminster brought second place one shot behind Jon Bevan (Wessex Golf Centre).

After a birdie at the third he dropped two shots in succession before regaining his momentum with further birdies at the sixth and eighth and three in a row from the tenth.

Bevan also confirmed the difficulty of the 445-yard stroke index one par-four fifth, by shedding a shot after a double-birdie start. But he finished in style with a four-under return of 32 over the back nine, including birdies at the closing two holes.

Another occasional player Ashley Moon (Okehampton), talented Wiltshireman Mark Searle (High Post) and the consistent Giuseppe Licata (Bristol Golf Centre) shared third on 67.

Trainee James Broughton from the Manor House Golf Club at Castle Combe was another Wiltshire player with a huge smile. His two-under 68 tied him with Ross Jones (Bath) in sixth for the best result of his fledging career.

Matthew Dearden (Vale Hotel), with Eliott James, Andy Owen and Jay Westcar, won the team award with 18-under 122, followed by Michael Watson (Wessex), Jim Vincent, Ollie Worts and Jason Greatley on 124.

They beat Ross Jones, Paul Trim, Dave Butler and Dirk Pinnell on countback.

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