ED GOODWIN, Cirencester's head pro, came out on top of a Cotswolds-dominated leaderboard at the latest Gloucestershire and Somerset PGA Medal played at Saltford near Bath.

Goodwin shot a best-of-the-day 70 to edge out Naunton Downs duo Nick Ellis and Pete Garratt by a single stroke.

Goodwin hadn’t been completely inactive in the previous weather-ravaged fortnight as he fitted in an overseas pro-am in Spain into his schedule.

Despite a delay en route due to some heavy traffic, he opened up with a birdie four. The demanding par four fourth hole claimed that shot back but Goodwin took advantage of a forward tee at the par four sixth to reduce it to just two shots in making an eagle. His front nine ended with another bogey to see him out in one under par. The back nine offered more birdie chances but only one at the par five 15th was converted by Goodwin before his round concluded with a brace of bogeys leaving him at +1.

Goodwin’s victory moved him back into second place in the Total Triumph Order of Merit and narrowed the gap on leader Giuseppe Licata who could only tie for eighth spot on 74.

The Naunton Downs pair of Ellis and Garratt both recorded two over par rounds of 71 to share the runners-up money ahead of the G&S PGA visit to their home course on Wednesday.

Ellis is enjoying an excellent season and the result saw the newly appointed G&S PGA vice captain leapfrog the absent David Haines into fourth spot in the Order of Merit.

For Garratt it was his best result of the season, although after the first hole it looked unlikely. A triple bogey eight opened his round but four birdies and an eagle saw him end the day at two over par.