Ian Bolt has bridged a 17- year gap by winning the Wiltshire Profess-ional Championship at Marlborough Golf Club.

The Cricklade Hotel professional won the £750 first prize by two strokes from Bowood's Andy Beal with Grant Clough, visiting from America, where he is a pro at Indian Wells in Palm Springs, a further three behind.

Bolt, who writes a column for the Evening Advertiser, overcame the hindrance of a shoulder injury to produce a nine-under-par total of 135 and snatch his first Wiltshire victory since 1983.

European Tour player Beal led after 33 holes of the 36-hole event, sponsored by Hills of Swindon, but surrendered his advantage with a bogey on the 16th, when he went out of bounds.

Bolt capitalised with a birdie on the same hole to move in front and then cemented his place at the top of the leaderboard by picking up another shot on the last.

Bolt, 48, had been forced to see an osteopath on the day before the championship to sort out his ongoing shoulder problem.

He had also changed his clubs on the same day, picking up a set of Ping graphite heads for the first time, but he played as if he had been using the clubs all his life and blazed round in 68 and 67.

He said: I was pleasantly surprised to win. It all came together. It was nice to beat all the young ones.

I only had a couple of hits with the clubs before I took them out, but they worked very well and I hit 12 birdies.

The course was in fantastic condition. It was a credit to John Sullivan, the general manager. The greens were the best I have seen in 20-odd years of playing there.

The tournament is a useful springboard for young pros. It gives them a chance to get to where people like Andy Beal have.

Pros struggle to find the opportunity to play against quality opposition. This gives them an indication of where they are going.

Bolt had only played two tournaments prior to the Marlborough event, but he had finished third in one and eighth in the other.

He said: I have had a quiet playing year. I've been too busy teaching at Cricklade.

Results

Ian Bolt (Cricklade) -9

Andy Beal (Bowood) -7

Grant Clough (Palm Springs) -4

Laurence Ross (Fareham) -1

Graham Laing (North Wilts) -1

Mark Smith (Hamptworth) Level

Mark Tombs (Highworth) Level

Steve Robertson (Broome Manor) +2

Colin Harraway (Ogbourne Downs) +2

Richard Blake (Uphaven) +3

Tony Valentine (Corsham) +3

David Hutton (High Post) +3