Despite high winds and a dire weather forecast the players in the first Thetford Winter ProAm of the new year encountered excellent conditions last Thursday.

Former European Tour professional Andy Marshall, representing Bawburgh Golf Club, came in with the winning score of 69 with a bogey-free round spiced by an eagle and a birdie.

The eagle came at the downwind par-five sixth with a three wood followed by a rescue iron to two feet.

He saved par after driving into the trees at the ninth and birdied the par-five 13th.

The winds eased and the players stayed dry.

Afterwards Marshall said: “The course was as good as Sunningdale as far as I’m concerned.”

The runners-up, with two-under-par 70s, were Sam Forgan, Paul Maddy and Neil Mitchell.

Paul Maddy’s dad, Alan, has been elected president of the ProAm Series and he shared the duties at the presentations with organiser Gary Kitley.

The third round of Thetford’s Winter League was held on Sunday with Neil Elers and Ashley Forbes combining for 44 points in the 4BBB competition.

Peter Croker and John Ward were second with 42 and have taken up the running at the top of the overall table with 115.

Tony Brooks and Dave Fitchett and Norrie Dickson and Brian Youngs are both on 109 with the best four scores from six rounds counting.

Sunday’s scores: 44 Neil Elers (9) & Ashley Forbes (12); 42 Peter Croker (8) & John Ward (9); 41 Norrie Dickson (6) & Brian Youngs (9); Paul Waters (8) & Ian Ramsay (8); Derek Kneebone (14) & Terry Stephenson (11); Robert Bentley (12) & Dave Fawcett (10); Robert McGregor (14) & Steve Randall (12); 40 Ken Kirwan (18) & Richard Alger (6); Kevin Cooke (7) & Rob Taylor (5). Overall: 115 Croker/Ward; 109 Dickson/Youngs and Tony Brooks/Dave Fitchett; 107 Arron Gaskell/Nolan Guthrie; 106 Bryan Muggeridge/Jon Olpin; 105 Elers/Forbes and Ramsay/Waters.

Midweek Stableford: 37 points Michael Gutherson (12); 35 Gareth Mills (5); 34 Oliver Coulter (12) and Alan Hitchborn (13); 32 Maurice Anderson (10) and Tony Orsi (14); 31 Wayne Prigg (14); 30 John Barton (14); 29 Terry Blacktopp (6), Steve Locke (11) and Derek Smith (21).