2024 Platinum
Head pro' at St Neots, 31-year-old Paul left the fireworks for the inward half, where he scooped two eagles in three holes, and after his only dropped shot of the back nine, at the 15th, he made another gain at the final hole.
His first eagle, at the 481-yard 12th, was the result of a drive and a four-iron to 20 feet. His shot of the day came at the 260-yard par-four 14th, where his tee shot landed six feet from the hole, for his second eagle.
"I don't really get much time to play", he confessed. "When you're running a busy shop and doing a fair bit of teaching, actual competition becomes something of a luxury."
Toyer finished two strokes clear of Stuart Lunn-Walker from Basildon, David Wood (St. Clere's Hall) and North Region's John Wells from Beverley.
Now Paul leads the 19 other qualifiers from the region to the 72-hole Glenmuir final at Prince's, in Kent, from 13 - 16 June, when the winner picks up £10,000 from a prize fund of £78,000.
As if back-to-back eagles weren't enough, Stuart Lunn-Walker from Wickford, near Basildon, added another later in his round to start his season on a high. Stuart fired a three-under 68 finish tied second of the 20 qualifiers.
"I've certainly never fired successive eagles before", said Stuart. "After two early bogeys I eagled the sixth and seventh"(the 506-yard sixth reached with a drive and a rescue wood to 20 feet, the 349-yard seventh reduced to a rescue wood off the tee and holing his 104-yard sand wedge effort).
For good measure he added eagle No. 3 at the 481-yard 12th, courtesy of a drive, and a six-iron to 10 feet.
A teaching pro' at the Rayleigh Golf Range for the last year, Lunn-Walker was playing in his first Glenmuir event. "I played Prince's about 10 years ago but quite honestly don't remember too much about it."
Another Basildon player to make the grade with ease was David Wood from St Clere's Hall. Last year's winner of the qualifier, David eased home also with a three-under 68, and is enthusiastically looking forward to playing at Prince's. Also on 68 was North Region ‘visitor', John Wells from Beverley & East Riding.
The highlight of Andrew Clapp's 18 holes yesterday - just being able to play, after recent back trouble. The 40-year-old, who moved as head pro' to the Hatfield London Country Club, three weeks ago, fired a super 69.
"I've been having back trouble for a while - I need to do regular stretching exercises - and I hadn't hit a ball for nine days before teeing up at Bishops Stortford. I had a great putting round, and the course, which has had a few holes changed recently, was in excellent condition."
Students of the pro' game may recall the fluster Andrew caused the R&A at the halfway stage of the 1998 Open at Royal Birkdale. Out last in the second round - and after play had been suspended because of high winds - Clapp handed in his card just before 10pm, only to find that the draw for the third round had already been made, minus his name.
Unknown to officials, his scorer had abandoned their game two holes from the end, and, assuming no heather would be set alight by the Hertfordshire player, they completed the draw. Unfortunately for them Andrew finished eagle-par to make the 146 cut on the limit. He was sent out first the next morning with a marker.
"Believe it or not, the weather was so bad on the Saturday that my 81 moved me up seven places (a certain Phil Mickelson shot 85 on his way to a 309 aggregate), and I finished with a 73 for 300."
One hole-in-one was achieved at Bishop's Stortford, by Stuart Brown from Orton Meadows in Peterborough. His five-iron struck the top of the 174-yard 15th flag, and plummeted straight into the hole. It was the second of his career (his first came in the region's championship last year at Nazeing).