MICHAEL Watson (Wessex Golf Centre) and Chris Gill (Exeter), the two West Region players dominating most recent events, could not be separated in the Cotswold Edge Pro-Am.

They settled for a share of first place after returning three-under-par rounds of 68 to win more than £550 each. They finished one shot clear in the 33-man field.

It was Watson's sixth win of the season while Gill has triumphed five times, notably in the Cornish Festival and Microsoft Services Masters at Bowood that took him to the top of the Race to Woodbury Park order of merit.

Gill started with birdies at the third and fourth and added two more at the 12th and 18th, dropping his only shot at the 14th.

Watson made a much slower start and fell behind with a bogey at the fifth. But he rallied on the homeward run with four birdies, including two on the final two holes.

Leaderboard: 68 Michael Watson (Wessex Golf Centre), Chris Gill (Exeter), £550 each, 69 Rod Hibbitt (Cotswold Edge), Barry Austin (Downes Crediton), £340 each, 70 Andy Beal (Salisbury), Graham Howell (Ferndown Forest) £243 each, 71 Gary Emerson (Remedy Oak), Giuseppe Licata (Hambrook) £178, 72 Ed Goodwin (Cirencester), Lewis Jones (Cardiff), Adam Constable (Cardiff) £113 each.