Former European Tour winner Gary Emerson produced some of his best golf of the year to challenge for the Bournemouth Fourball South West PGA order of merit tournament at Isle of Purbeck and Dudsbury.

Now representing Playgolf, Bournemouth, after a successful European Tour career that included a win in Russia, the 49-year-old player who joins the European Seniors Tour later this year, returned to form with 67 at Isle of Purbeck, a course he knows well from his days playing in the Bournemouth Alliance.

He carded eight birdies and but for bogeys at the second and 12th and a triple bogey seven at the unlucky 13th he would have been comfortably ahead.

But he failed to match that form at Dudsbury, despite a birdie at the opening hole. He dropped five shots but picked up a valuable eagle three when he chipped in at the 17th.

That helped him and amateur partner, regular Bournemouth Alliance winner three-handicapper Selwyn Burke (Remedy Oak), reach 85 points to win the betterball by just one shot in a tournament sponsored by Ringwood Brewery and Dudsbury Golf Club. Burke’s three birdies at Purbeck also helped the pair to 46 points on the first day.

Dudsbury’s Lee Thompson was a pre-tournament favourite but he lost his chance at Purbeck where he suffered a four shot penalty for carrying too many clubs in his bag. He mistakenly added a 2-iron to his bag after playing at Bowood the previous day.

“Imagine how I felt when I realised my mistake on the third tee,” he said. “The game is hard enough without this – but it was my responsibility. If I had signed for a par 70 instead of 74 I would have fancied my chances at Dudsbury in the second round.”

He also felt sorry for his amateur playing partner Giles Legg (Ferndown), the former Dorset county captain, who was also penalised in the tournament sponsored by Ringwood Brewery and Dudsbury Golf Club.

Devon’s Paul Hendriksen (Dinnaton) won his first order of merit title after being runner-up on six occasions in the past two seasons. He beat former Tour players Andy Beal (Salisbury and South Wilts) and Welshman Sion Bebb (The Vale) by one shot.

Beal, now 47, started his career as head teaching professional at East Dorset (now Dorset Golf and Country Club) and had visions of his first order of merit win since he claimed the Wood BMW title at Dudsbury ten years ago. He was the clubhouse leader after an impressive 67 until Hendriksen made a birdie at the par five 17th.

Leading final scores: 136 Paul Hendriksen ( Dinnaton) 70 66, 137 Andrew Beal (Salisbury) 70 67, Sion Bebb (Vale Hotel) 68 69, 138 Richard Woods (Dainton Park) 71 67, 139 James Lee (Caerphilly) 67 72, Gary Emerson (Playgolf, Bournemouth) 67 72, James Pickard (Honiton) 66 73, 140 Richard Dinsdale (Parc Golf Academy) 69 71, Richard Sadler (Killiow) 68 72, 141 Rod Hibbitt (Cotswold Edge) 71 70, Daryl Kelley (Filton) 71 70, Ross Langdon (Henbury) 70 71, Graham Howell (Ferndown Forest) 70 71.