THE first of the Faldo Series qualifiers for the South East of England took place at Royal St George's when two members of Ipswich Golf Club, Chris Gooding and Alasdair Gillan, finished joint third in the under-16 section with rounds of 77.

By Tony Garnett

THE first of the Faldo Series qualifiers for the South East of England took place at Royal St George's when two members of Ipswich Golf Club, Chris Gooding and Alasdair Gillan, finished joint third in the under-16 section with rounds of 77.

In the under-15 section, Callum Monk of Rookery Park had a testing day with his round of 86 leaving him eighth equal. Johnny Mallon of Stoke-by-Nayland, a Sports Academy pupil from Ireland, was tenth equal in the under-21 group with 79

The next event will be at Royal Ashdown Forest on July 20.

The top four in each section will go forward to one of the regional finals in August at Walton Heath, Marriott Forest of Arden, Celtic Manor and The Roxburghe.

Phil Westley of Hintlesham won his Faldo Series qualifier in the under-21 age group at Abbey Hills, near Milton Keynes.

He joined Owen Pearl (Stoke-by-Nayland), Paul and Hugo Dobson (Fynn Valley), Rhodri Harston (Felixstowe Ferry), James Reiss (Aldeburgh) and Patrick Spraggs (Stowmarket) at Royal West Norfolk Golf Club yesterday.