THE West Region and Gloucester & Somerset PGA Chairman Andrew March tasted success for the first time this winter as he took a share of the top spot with a two-under par 68 at Cirencester in some damp conditions.

The Brean director of golf was joined at the top by regular winner and G&S PGA captain Giuseppe Licata (Chipping Sodbury) and Somerset county amateur Johnny Grace.

For the first time this year the entry level dipped below the 30 mark but those who didn’t/couldn’t play at Cirencester certainly missed a golf course in excellent condition for the time of year.

Many commented that, before the heavy rain fell, the putting surfaces were some of the best they have seen this winter. A dry start was interrupted by a couple of heavy bursts of rain which eventually turned into some steady heavy rain, which hampered some of the later starters.

March was out early and only had the wettest of the weather for his final few holes. He collected the first of his five birdies at the fourth and added another at the sixth.

He failed to get up and down from the greenside bunker at the seventh to drop his first shot but immediately regained it at the eighth. Turning back for home he dropped another shot at the 10th ahead of his fourth birdie of the day at the short 13th.

A crooked drive at the next cost him his final bogey of the day but his fifth and final birdie at the 16th was the result of a stunning escape from the trees followed by a lengthy putt dropping.

Two closing pars left him waiting to find out if he would have any company at the top.

Total Triumph Order of Merit leader Licata put more daylight between him and the rest of the G&S pros. He had a bogey-free round going until the closing hole which cost him his only dropped shot of the day and effectively denied him outright victory.

Licata collected his three birdies to move almost 40 points clear of Cirencester's Ed Goodwin at the top of the points table.

Home pro Ed Goodwin and Clevedon’s Ashley Mansell finished with level par totals of 70 to share sixth position and Goodwin collected the Over 40s sweep money for his trouble.

Last week’s winner Russ Berry was eighth on 71 ahead of Total Triumph owner and loyal G&S sponsor Neil Mossman who scored an impressive 72 to finish in the top 10 alongside Filton’s Tom Duke and Cirencester’s debutant assistant pro Mitch Caunt.