Paul Nessling lived up to the name of the golf facility he represents as he set the pace in the opening round of the PGA South West North Devon Links Festival.
The PGA Professional from Bexhill-based Sussex Golf Solutions found the solution to coping with the strong winds that buffeted Royal North Devon Golf Club.
In doing so, the 34-year-old was the only member of the 36-strong field to break par in negotiating England’s oldest golf course that, located in Westward Ho!, overlooks the Atlantic Ocean.
With negotiations of Saunton’s West and East courses to follow on days two and three respectively, Nessling has established a one-shot lead thanks to completing his round with a flourish.
He was one-over par going into the penultimate hole, a par-five, but a birdie, birdie finish saw him post a one-under par total of 71 to lead Brickhampton Court’s Ross Langdon by a shot.
Nessling’s advantage over the rest of the field is more substantial by contrast.
He is three-shots clear of a six-strong posse of PGA South West representatives that includes Bowood Park’s in-form Joe Cruse and Saunton’s Jess Smart on two-over.
Cruse, who won the region’s final Order of Merit tournament, the Wiltshire Open at Kingsdown Golf Club, earlier in the month leads his trio of amateurs in the team competition with a score of 83 Stableford points.
