CIRENCESTER head pro Ed Goodwin described the best tournament round of his life as ‘surreal’ after he romped to victory in the latest Gloucestershire & Somerset PGA Medal at Minchinhampton Old course.

Goodwin shot a near-flawless round of 62 – 9 under par – to trounce the 35-strong field of professionals by three shots and more.

Goodwin’s play lit up a foggy day as, drawn in the final group, he proceeded to take the historic course apart.

“I’m originally from Nailsworth and the first golf course I remember seeing was Minchinhampton Common, although I didn’t start playing until the family moved to Cheltenham when I was eight,” said Goodwin.

“What with the snow on the course at Ciren and Christmas I haven’t been playing much golf, so where that score came from I don’t know.

“It felt quite easy as I hit all my wedges to four feet and holed just about everything I should have.

“I had a five iron into the par five 2nd and didn’t make a birdie, three-putted 11 from not very far for a bogey and didn’t make a birdie at the driveable 17th, but everything else went right – it was quite surreal for a first round of the year.

“It’s my lowest ever tournament round and 9 under is I did shoot 61 at a charity event at Castle Combe about eight years ago and still my team didn’t win!”

An opening birdie was joined by another four in a row from the 3rd and the 9th also succumbed to Goodwin’s excellence as he completed his opening nine holes of 2018 in just 31 strokes, 6 under par. He also completed his second nine holes in the same figure too, aided by a 30-foot putt for an eagle at the 12th and a pair of two’s at the par 3’s of the 14th and 16th.

Goodwin’s main target in 2018 is to finish in the top three of the Total Triumph Order of Merit which will earn him a place in the G&S county team.