PGA Gloucestershire/Somerset Golf

CHIPPING Sodbury’s Giuseppe Licata was third in the prestigious Cotswold Hills pro-am in Cheltenham after the terrible conditions forced a shortened contest.

The tournament was won by Ashley Wood club professional Paul Jones with a four-under-par 68.

But, after a lengthy wait, he was gutted when tournament controller Tom Sheffield, the host club, told the 42 teams that had entered the contest that the the outcome would be settled over the first seven holes as teams could not finish the full 18.

With a third of the saturated, gale-swept field still to complete their rounds, play was suspended at 5.15pm and abandoned an hour later.

“It was probably the best 68 I have ever made,” said the luckless Jones who completed the back nine in an impressive one-under in view of the conditions.

But, instead of winning, he shared third Licata and Henry Pallas (Upavon) who were also two-under after seven holes.

So Dan Carter (Upavon) and PGA Cup winning captain Jon Bevan (Sherborne) pocketed £800 each for four-under scores of 25 over the seven holes.

Carter made four birdies while Bevan’s eagle on the seventh proved most profitable. Jones had to settle for £451.

Joe Ferguson (Celtic Manor), Richard O’Hanlon (St Kew) and Greg Davies (South Cerney) also missed out after battling to be under par after 18 holes.

Carter made it a double as his Adey-sponsored team of scratch county player Harrison Ottley-Wood, Neil Lake and Paul Vicary were first in the team section on six-under 52.

They beat Barrie Forster (North Wilts) and amateurs Tony Bennett, Paul Keegan and Paul Warrick plus Licata’s trio of Matt Cooper, Andy Hughes and Graham Harden on countback.

Sheffield said: “It was a real shame to have to call this prestigious tournament off.”