Previous winners make a fine start in Bristol - 27/03/2007

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COLM Moriarty and Matthew Woods are aiming to become the first player to win two events in the 2007 PGA EuroPro Tour season.

Both men, who have won previous competitions at Wensum Valley and Bovey Castle respectively, made a fine start to event eight, which is being held at The Players Club in Bristol.

On day one the pair both fired rounds of four-under to lead the race for the £10,000 top prize in the field of 168 of the best young professionals in Britain and Ireland.

Irishman Moriarty, a member of the Glasson Golf Hotel and Country Club, hit birdies at the first, third, eighth and 18th, while Woods (pictured right, Donnington Grove) secured five birdies but a dropped shot at the 13th cost him the overall lead.

It was also a good day for the other former winners as each of the seven players are well positioned in the event, which is sponsored by Claytons Kola Tonic.

Faithlegg victor Graeme Clark is one of five men on three-under in equal third, along with Scot Alasdair Hay (Royal Winchester), Martin Le Mesurier, Steve Surry (Cumberwell) and James Ruebotham (Welwyn Garden City).

Guy Woodman (Stoke Park) and Brian McElhinney (North West GC), who won at Collingtree Park and Roganstown respectively, both scored one-under and the other winners - Michael McDermott (Stackstown) and Neil Walker are still in contention on two-over.

Ian Ridgway ( High Legh Park ) and Nathan Treacher are in level eighth on two-under with local players John Morgan (Clevedon), Andrew Rudge and Paul Reed (both Bristol and Clifton GC) among 14 competitors on one-under.

Each of the players will play a second round on Wednesday with the top 50 plus ties advancing into a final round on Thursday.

Date posted: July 18, 2007