Few players can live with Chris Evans at The Kendleshire – and he proved the point by winning the Gloucestershire and Somerset PGA medal over his home course.

The Gloucestershire amateur, who is a regular supporter of PGA winter events and came close to taking the order of merit title last winter, holds the Kendleshire record by carding 64s over two of the three different course lay-outs.

He made his first appearance of the season and went round in six-under-par 65. But he was unable to claim an outright win as Brean's David Haines matched the card as the last man in.

Evans made birdies at the first and fifth and an eagle at the eighth. Although he dropped three shots, he added further birdies at the 10th and 11th when he holed from a bunker.

He picked up further shots at 13 and 18. He also claimed the birdie sweep as no one could match his impressive haul of six (plus the eagle worth two).

Haines helped himself to birdies at the 2nd, 7th and 9th to turn at three-under-par. Two more gains followed at the 11th and 12th before his final birdie came from close range at the dangerous 16th hole. He has now moved clear at the top of the Order of Merit ahead of Daryl Kelley (Filton).

On another day, Ed Goodwin (Cirencester) might have won with 67 but had to settle for third. His sixth birdie at the last edged him one shot ahead of Kelley.

George Ryall took fifth spot on 69, one ahead of amateur Matt Kippen (Enmore Park).

Earlier, Haines and Kelley tied for top spot in the pro-am at Long Sutton. They were the only two players to beat the par of 71.

Haines stood at two over par after nine holes but recovered with four birdies coming home. Kelley also started badly but roared back in five under with three birdies and an eagle.

Par rounds of 71 by Trevor Jones (Hambrook) and John Goymer (Wheathill) earned a share of third, with Steve Ritchie (Farrington) fifth on 72 and Andrew March (Brean) sixth on 73.