ED GOODWIN has won the 2011 G&S PGA Matchplay Championship after a tight final against Mark Sanders at the Henbury Golf Club, high above Bristol.

The Cirencester Golf Club pro, who is also the G&S PGA captain in 2011, recovered from a two-hole deficit at the halfway stage to edge past the double Order of Merit Champion over the closing stretch, winning by two holes.

It was Goodwin’s second win in the 16-man, two-day event.

On the first morning, Goodwin took out Alex Nicholson by 2&1, while in the afternoon he needed 19 holes to dispose of Roy Holland.

His semi-final victory was much more one-sided as Brean’s Andrew March struggled from the tee and lost holes at regular intervals.

Goodwin moved to 5 up with a two at the short 13th and closed the game out at the next.

It could so easily have been an all-Cirencester final.

Cirencester assistant pro Gareth Bennett beat defending champion Giuseppe Licata on the 16th hole in his opening match and then recorded the joint biggest win of the championship when seeing off Nick Ellis by 5&4.

In his semi-final with Sanders, Bennett was one up with two to play. He was unable to close out the game and Sanders duly squared the match to take it into extra time.

The first was halved and Sanders took the game at the next when Bennett tangled with the trees and couldn’t match the Stockwood Vale pro’s par 4 at the 20th.

In the final, it was Sanders who took the early advantage and he ended the front nine with a two-hold lead.

Goodwin then reeled off birdies at the 11th, 12th and 14th to move into a lead he wasn’t going to relinquish. He closed the game out on the last with another birdie to deny Sanders any chance of taking the tie past the 18th.

Goodwin commented afterwards that the key to his success had been his accurate driving which was much improved of late.