GWENT teenager James Morgan put behind him the disappointment of a poor performance in the European Boy's Team Championship in Poland last week to make a splendid start to his challenge for the South Wales Junior Golf title over the Builth Wells course.

Morgan, the talented 16-year-old from Alice Springs, was actually one of six players from Gwent to qualify for the knock-out stages of the three-day event.

Rounds of 66 and 67 for a total of 133 - one below the standard scratch score - gave Morgan the lead position in the qualifying phase.

Chris Cole, from the Monmouthshire Club at Abergavenny, bitterly disappointed to have missed out on a trip to Poland, followed Morgan with a total of 135 and Dewstow's Phil Smith was on the 138 mark after rounds of 71 and 67.

Monmouth's Thomas Light, Andrew Bennett from Raglan Parc and Newport's Chris Lewis completed the strong Gwent line-up in the matchplay phase today.

There is a somewhat weaker field than had been anticipated because the majority of the boys in Poland are resting this week in readiness for the Welsh Boys' Championship which gets underway at St Mellons next Tuesday.

Today the field for the South Wales Championship will be reduced to four with the semi-finals and final tomorrow.