JON Bevan bridged an eight-year gap since winning his first West Region Order of Merit tournament by taking the Total Triumph Classic at Oake Manor, Somerset, in a tense finale.

He eased one stroke clear of Wessex Golf Centre colleague and recent BMW PGA Championship competitor Michael Watson with a birdie on the 484-yard 17th, then two-putted from six feet for par on the last for a round of four-under-par 66 and total of six-under 134.

The victory came on one of Bevan’s favourite courses having won last year’s Pro-Am after finishing runner-up in the three previous years.

And he was even more delighted as Neil Mossman, managing director of sponsors Total Triumph and last year’s Oake Manor captain, is his backer.

He said: “Neil caddied for Mike Watson in a practice round at Wentworth before the PGA Championship last week and I went with them. Neil really wanted one of us to win so it was a double triumph as we finished first and second.

“He has also caddied for me in Open qualifiers and I would love him to have the chance of doing that with me in a European Tour event.”

Bevan, 42, first burst onto the West scene from the East in 2002 by winning the South Wales Open at Newport.

He has since won a string of Pro-Ams but no Order of Merits competition.

Bevan added: “I am thrilled as winning Neil’s tournament was the first priority. I have set myself a number of targets this year. My goal is to achieve more this year than in previous years.”

As he is a PGA Cup player and has played in The Open, his ambitions remain high.

And a round of five birdies, at two, three, four, 15 and 17, and one dropped shot at the 12th, showed a consistency that should make him a player to fear in the west this summer.

Watson, who was 10th after an opening 70, made seven birdies in a blistering 65.

He played immediately after the PGA Championship at Went-worth and found the greens a total contrast.

He said: “My tee shots were better in the second round and I put myself into good positions on the par fives. But the greens were a lot slower and I missed a few putts.”

Another Dorset player, Scott Porter (The Dorset Golf and Country Club), shared third with his father Chris, a former Swindon Town footballer, on the bag for two days.

Porter, 36, was playing in his first order of merit tournament and had chances to win but took two sixes on the back nine. He was happy with a pair of 68s and now intends to do a little less teaching and more playing.

James Wiltshire (Lyme Regis) returned 152 (71, 81) but Fern Grimshaw (Wessex) missed the cut.

LEADING SCORES 134 Jon Bevan (Wessex Golf Centre) 68 66 £1,500, 135 Michael Watson (Wessex Golf Centre) 70 65 £975,136 Scott Porter (Dorset G&CC) 68 68, Richard Dinsdale (Parc Golf Academy) 67 69 £695, 137 Paul Hendriksen (Churston) 72 65, Richard O’Hanlon (Lanhydrock) 71 66 £500, 138 David Haines (Brean) 70 68, Graham Howell (Ferndown Forest) 70 68, Mark Wiggett (Dudsbury) 69 69, Neil Holman (Torbay) £363.