FORMER Ryder Cup player Phillip Price came within a putt of notching the magical 59 on his first visit to the hilltop West Wilts course overlooking Warminster.

The Welshman, who is now approaching a tilt at seniors’ golf, faced a 25-foot putt on the 18th but just lipped out.

A nine-under-par 60 brought a two-shot win over Lee Thompson (Dudsbury) in the Wiltshire club’s annual pro-am.

His perfect card contained eight fours and eight threes plus two twos in halves of 29 and 31. It was his first win in 10 pro-ams since his second place in the Cornish Festival in May.

Thompson was out in 31 and two more birdies and an eagle at the par five 17th completed another impeccable round.

James Ruth (China Fleet) features every time he tees up and threatened to take the course apart after picking up four shots in the opening three holes with two birdies and an eagle at the second.

But four further birdies were counted by two dropped shots as he signed for 63.

Joe Ferguson (Celtic Manor) continued to make up lost time after recovering from a hand injury to shoot 64 while regular visitor Chris Gill (Newquay) was fifth on 66 one ahead of Henry Pallas (Hamptworth), Ashley Mansell (Clevedon) and Mark Searle (High Post).

Gill led the winning team of John Rowe, Paul Wood and Clive Atkinson on 20-under-par 118. Price’s team of Steve Clements, Tige Ladd and Phil Harris were four shots behind with Ross Langdon (Gloucester) shepherding Martin Bradbury, Rob Burt and Dean Huntley into third in the St James Place Management-sponsored event.