FIVE golfers returned nett 70s in Clitheroe Golf Club's first round of the Tom Morris Putter competition.

Mark Ashworth celebrated his selection for Lancashire in this weekend's War of the Roses at Fairhaven with a gross 70 off scratch to hold fourth place above Andrew Walmsley, Roger Hargreaves and David Warner.

Simon Raine, with the better back nine, pinched third place behind David Knowles, one shot better on 69 and overall winner Don Partington with an impressive 76-8-68.

A more relaxed three-man team event on Sunday saw the blarney of Peter Murtagh, Derek McIntyre and John Whowell with 86 points overcome second placed Archie Moor, Steve Dean and Peter Harrison who finished five shots behind.

The early birds certainly found the worm and top prize in Clitheroe's Seniors Open Fourball, Accrington Golf Club duo D Yerbury and B Martland played some awesome golf to produce 48 points from a 7.30am starting time. It was eight hours later before they were seriously challenged by Bolton Golf Club members K Washington and G Bromilow who took second prize with 47.

Don Partington confirmed his recent good form by taking the gross prize with his partner A Quinn from Lancaster.

Young Jack Rothwell produced the round of his life in the junior single stroke competition with an incredible nett 60.

Second-placed William Tyrrell would have expected his nett 64 to have been good enough for top spot but it was not to be.