HAMPSHIRE'S Elliot Groves shot the only sub-par score to win the windswept Puttenham Pro-Am and walk away with the winner’s cheque of £725.

The Romsey golfer's two-under-par performance of 69* put him two shots ahead of the two runners up, Robert Daw (Effingham) and five-time Virgin Atlantic PGA South Order of Merit champion, Richard Wallis (Canterbury), both on level par, writes Charles de Haan.

A happy Groves said: “It was so windy, at least a three club one channelling and swirling through the trees for good measure! 

"Puttenham is narrow and tree-lined, so I just played conservative, kept it low and in play using my two iron, and made a couple of good putts towards the end for a good card.

"I did a degree at Oklahoma City University, one the windiest places in the world, so I’ve got some useful experience of these kind of conditions!”

After a couple of wins back in May, Groves is enjoying a return to top form with his third win in a month.

Besides the Puttenham and the Cams Hall Pro-Ams, Groves also successfully defended the PGA South Assistants & Trainees Match Play championship title.

In a shotgun start from the 18th, Groves was soon on the birdie trail at the first and third.

Two bogeys and another birdie got him to one-under at the turn, but a dropped shot at the tenth put him back to level par.

Determined to make a score, he birdied the 15th and 17th to set a score that the rest of the field couldn’t match.

Pipped to the post in the individual event, Daw led his amateurs to a well earned victory in the team event with a total of -14.