DANIEL Poulter followed in the footsteps of his younger brother Ian, the Ryder Cup player, by winning the PGA East Anglian Open Championship at Blakes Golf Club in Essex.

By Tony Garnett

DANIEL Poulter followed in the footsteps of his younger brother Ian, the Ryder Cup player, by winning the PGA East Anglian Open Championship at Blakes Golf Club in Essex.

Poulter won by three shots after finishing five under par for 36 holes and will have his name inscribed on the trophy 10 years after Ian won at Brampton Park.

There are some famous names on the cup such as Reg Knight, Eddie Whitcombe, Tiger Poulton, Brian Huggett and Michael Bonallack.

Thirty-three year old Daniel Poulter, who is attached to Bedford Golf Club, said: “This is my first PGA East Region order of merit win although I was in a play-off at Stock Brook last year.

“An eagle at the 403 yard 11th got me going. I hit a driver uphill into the wind and then sunk a six-iron from 186 yards.

“This was only my fourth tournament round of golf this year because I am now director of sales for my brother's venture, Ian Poulter Design. I was wearing some of the clothing today with the logo IJP.”

In the closing stages, most of Poulter's rivals had fallen away in the strong winds, with the exception of Brett Taylor of Chelmsford who had finished 24th equal in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

Just when a close finish looked likely, Taylor ended his round by dropping five shots in the final three holes.

Neil Lythgoe of Royal Norwich and Danny Heard of Nazeing started the day at four under par but soon fell away.

Andrew Pestell of Chelmsford was tournament leader at four under after four birdies in his first seven holes of his second round but he, too, dropped shots at the 14th and 17th although shared runner-up spot with Heard at two under.

Tournament sponsors Trad Hire and Sales Ltd had banners on every hole. The course, an inland links, played well with fast and true greens.

For a course two years old Blakes will be an asset to Essex golf, especially as, not being on clay, it will be playable all the year round.

Neil Mitchell of Bury Golf Range, one shot off the pace after the first round, was top Suffolk finisher at seventh equal with level par 142.

A missed short putt on the third hole was his first dropped shot. A double bogey at the eighth gave him too much to do.

Simon Harrison of Thorpeness, runner-up in the East Region order of merit last year, showed improved form to finish 10th equal at one over par while Andrew Cotton (Ufford Park) and Andrew Collison (Bungay) were three over.

Alex Lucas of Waldringfield had an opening round of 77 which put him out of contention but a second round of 72 improved his finishing position.

Leading scores in the East Anglian Open

137: D Poulter (Bedford) 69 69.

140: A Pestell (Chelmsford) 71 69, D Heard (Nazeing) 67 73.

141: R Godber (Brocket Hall) 71 70, M Bannister (Nazeing) 69 72, N Lythgoe (Royal Norwich) 67 74.

142: M Davis (Thorndon Park) 70 72, F Madden (Verulam) 69 73, N Mitchell (Bury Golf Range) 68 74.

143: I Ellis (Weston Park) 74 69, P Toyer (St Neots) 73 70, J Fryatt (Thorpe Hall) 72 71, A Clapp (Hatfield London) 71 72, S Harrison (Thorpeness) 69 74,

144: B Mitchell (South Herts) 72 72, J Gurry (Millers Barn) 72 72, I Ashenden (unattached) 70 74, B Taylor (Chelmsford) 69 75.

145: P Dimmock (Lakeside Lodge) 75 70, S Brown (Orton Meadows) 73 72, D Charlton (Dunstable Downs) 73 72, D Parker (Maylands) 73 72, A Collison (Bungay) 70 75, A Cotton (Ufford Park) 70 75, M Baker (Colchester) 69 76, J Bevitt (Moor Park) 69 76, P Abbott (John O'Gaunt) 69 76.

146: S Cipa (Upminster) 73 73, M Kierstenson (Elstree) 72 74.

147: P Simpson (Beadlow Manor) 72 75, J Lowe (Lords G&CC) 71 76, A George (Ely City) 70 77, R Leonard (Mid Herts) 70 77.

148: J Hoar (Ashridge) 75 73, W Sargent (Towerlands) 74 74, D Smith (Chadwell Springs) 74 74, A Hurley (Arkley) 73 75.

149: A Lucas (Waldringfield) 77 72, G Krauze (Elton Furze) 75 74, D Brennan (Muswell Hill) 74 75, L Eggleston (Orsett) 73 76, K Lunt (Great Hadham) 73 76, R Gray (Thorndon Park) 72 77, P Hetherington (Great Hadham) 72 77 J Jones (The Hertfordshire) 69 80.

150: P Barham (Stock Brook) 77 73, A Quinn (Lords) 75 75, K Vince (Rushmere) 75 75, R Pudney (Royal Cromer) 75 75, P Mayoh (King's Lynn) 74 76, P Wilby (Fynn Valley) 74 76, P Lane (Harpenden) 73 77, R Beadles (Brampton Park) 73 77, M Green (Stockwood Park Golf Centre) 73 77.

151: M Allen (Eaton) 79 72, S Fitton (Thorpe Wood) 78 73, D Wood (St Cleres Hall) 75 76, P Davis (Saffron Walden) 74 77, A Robinson (Felixstowe Ferry) 72 79, R Brightman (Millbrook) 72 79.

Other scores included

154: T Dobson (Stonham Barns) 75 79.

155: M Stokes (Rayleigh Driving Range) 76 79.

157: A Tokley (Stoke by Nayland) 74 83.

158: F Hill (Thorpeness) 78 80, S Rusbridge (Frinton) 76 82.

159: M Bishop (Toot Hill) 78 81.

160: S Cubitt (Land of Golf, Diss) 82 78.

164: P Rains (Bury Golf Range) 86 78.

Retired: D Barton (Fynn Valley) 80 retired.