STUART Little won the Marston’s PGA West Region Championship pro-am at Saunton with an impressive round, writes Peter Godsiff.

The tall, solid striker from Minchinhampton, with years of European Tour experience behind him, annihilated the back nine over the famous East Championship.

After a bogey at the fourth followed by a birdie bat the sixth, he cut loose on the back nine with a six-under return of 29. He merely made pars at holes 11, 12 and 14 and finished with four birdies.

But such is the standard of play in the region, the PGA Cup player who finished in a tie for third in the Glenmuir PGA Championship this month, only beat Paul Hendriksen (Dinnaton) by one shot.

Hendriksen dropped two shots but made seven birdies, the last at the 18th. This brought a two-shot cushion over Cheltenham’s Russell Berry (RB Range).

But it was a different story in the championship that followed for he had to settle for a share of 11th place.

His week’s winnings exceeded £500. He shot level par 71 over the West course on the first day but followed with 72 for a 143 total, the same as Rod Hibbitt (Cotswold Edge).

Berry was the best placed Gloucestershire man. He shared sixth one one-under-par 141, earning £400.

Matt Dearden (Vale Hotel, Cardiff) won by one shot on three-under-par 139 from Paul Hendriksen (Dinnaton), Michael Watson (Wessex Golf Centre) and Liam Bond (Marriott St Pierre).