Brothers in arms as Glo'sters go in search of Channel League glory

MIKE Day has sprung from virtual obscurity to become the hottest local golfer around after stunning seasoned Gloucestershire county players and even his own members at Henbury Golf Club with his latest achievements.

After his shock win in the Knowle Gold Medal three weeks earlier, he landed the City and County of Bristol championship on his home course on Sunday to leap to the top of the county's order of merit for the Duchess Salver with two events left.

Now he has been elevated to the county's first team for a vital Channel League match against Cornwall, again at Henbury, that could ultimately lead to Gloucestershire's first League title for a decade.

He makes his debut alongside his elder brother Nick, who has been obliged to stand back and admire his sibling's unexpected success. Nick plays off plus three and has been the county's leading player for several years. The Days will become the first brothers to play in the same county first-team since Long Ashton's Owen and Tom Layton in the early 1990s.

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At Henbury, Mike beat Jake Phillips (Brickhampton Court) by two shots after shooting 136 (69, 67). Andy Rudge (Bristol & Clifton) was third on 139 (69, 70) with Julian Church (Henbury, 71, 69), who won the net prize, and Tyler Hogarty (Rodway Hill, 69, 71) on 140. Nick Day followed in a trio on 143 after 71, 72.

Day is one of three changes from the team that slaughtered Glamorgan 10-5 at Royal Porthcawl to give the side a realistic chance of the title as points difference could be a deciding factor. Hogarty and David Lake (Knowle) are the other newcomers and join the Day brothers, Rudge, McLean, his Brickhampton colleague Jake Phillips, Paul Garland (Lansdown), Andrew Hale (Chipping Sodbury) and Sam Morgan (Knowle) in the team.

County secretary Ian Watkins said: "This is the most wide-open Channel League for years and we will become champions if we manage two wins by big margins in the final matches against Cornwall then against Gwent at the Kendleshire on October 9."

Somerset captain Phil White (Wells) leads Dave Gregory, Matt Pearson, Jeremy Larcombe, Ellis Cook (all Burnham), Tom Small (Farrington), Sam Day (Mendip Spring), George Morgan (Mendip), Myles Angell (Clevedon), James Popham (Enmore) into their final match against Glamorgan at Southerndown on Sunday. But second-placed Somerset's chances were scuppered when Devon beat Gwent 8-7 at Royal North Devon on Sunday to consolidate first place. Devon's incredible 13.5-1.5 win over Somerset at Enmore Park in July has resulted in an unassailable points' difference.

Gloucestershire's challenge is to win both remaining matches and take 20.5 of the 30 points available which may not be impossible as the two games are both at home.

Will Mullins (Knowle), Mitch Waite (Filton) and Ian Wilkie (Thornbury) make their Gloucestershire second team debuts in the annual friendly against Dyfed at Filton on Sunday. Wilkie becomes the first Thornbury player to gain senior recognition.