Golf

Holiday is ideal tonic for Lythgoe

Top Norfolk professional Neil Lythgoe made short work of his first outing on the new-look Bawburgh course - with a five-under par 67 and a new course record.

It left him five shots clear of his closest rivals - and full of praise for the two new holes and other alterations at Bawburgh.

“I think the new holes are excellent and they've definitely added to the course and made it a better test,” said Lythgoe.

The Royal Norwich player took to the course just after returning from a non-golf holiday and he wasn't sure what to expect. “For me not to play for two weeks is like forever - I basically play every day,” he said. “But I just felt terrific, the break obviously did me good.”

He started nicely, with a birdie on the new second hole, which Lythgoe describes as a “proper” three-shot par five. He hit a driver, three-iron and wedge to within five feet of the hole.

He dropped a shot on the long, uphill par three seventh, where he three-putted, but then hit a purple patch with four consecutive birdies. His approach shots were super-accurate, especially on the eighth and ninth, where he practically left the ball stone dead.

Two more birdies followed on 15 and 17 to take Lythgoe to six-under as he stood on the 18th tee. However, he bogeyed the last after pulling his drive and settled for a still-handsome 67 - and his sixth course record.

“It was quite a strange day because it was quite unexpected. I was hoping to play well but I didn't know whether the holiday would have had an adverse effect. In the end it obviously had a good effect!”

Lythgoe's win also secured him victory in the Dingle Toyota Order of Merit - with three events in hand. He's currently 37 points ahead of the second-placed player, Matthew Gardner of Barnham Broom, and he can't be caught.

Gardner continued his good form by winning the best trainee award with his score of three-over 75.

The winning team was led in by Sam Cubitt (Eagles) whose group finished one shot clear of their closest challengers.