A POISONOUS snake left a Corsham golfer bunkered just days before the most important round of his life.

Gary Sawyer, golf pro at Lafarge golf club, Westbury, reached the final qualifier for the British Open held last weekend.

But his dream was nearly over before it started when a poisonous snake attacked him halfway through a practice round in Westbury.

He said: "I reached into a bush to look for my ball and felt a sharp pain on my wrist.

"My hand began to swell up and I was covered in nasty blisters and the doctor said I must have been bitten by an adder. It was only ten days before the qualifier for The Open - what a time to come cross a poisonous snake."

The snake attack at Lafarge golf club put Mr Sawyer out of the game for over a week and ruined his preparation for the qualifiers at The Open Golf Tournament held at Royal St Georges last weekend.

But just ten days after the bite he recovered to qualify at a play-off at Minchinhampton on July 9. He then competed in the final qualifier for The Open but failed to repeat his success.