GOLF: CHESTER'S Richard Bean was as good as his word when he predicted he would win the MEN Manchester Open going into the last day at De Vere Mottram Hall.

But never in his wildest dreams could he have fore-seen his sensational start to the round as he racked up four threes in a row.

The first was an eagle at the 502-yard opening hole, winging a rescue club approach to a foot of the flag for an easy tap-in.

Next, after his drive had split the middle of the fairway, he floated an eight iron to 12 feet for a birdie before safely making his par at the short third.

And just when he thought he had put enough space between himself and the rest of the challengers, he holed another two yarder for birdie at the fourth.

'I could not believe it,' said the 26-year-old professional attached to Upton-by-Chester.

'I told myself I had to make a score on the front nine because the second stretch was going to be tough in the wind but I did not envisage such a cracking start.'

With the hardest holes still to play, Bean kept his composure with the help of his caddie-girlfriend Lesley Allason, a psychiatric nurse.

'She kept telling me to relax and concentrate on one shot at a time,' he said.

The penultimate hole has invariably been critical over the four years the tournament has been running but Bean was unperturbed by his bogey knowing he had reached the 18th with a stroke in hand over Haigh Hall's Craig Corrigan.

With his second shot nestling in the fringe at the back of the green, he coolly pitched to a foot for another birdie to seal his first victory at this level with a closing 71 for a three-under-par total.

'It's a big step in my career and not only has this helped me out financially but could help me to find some sponsorship for next year,' added Bean who felt compensated for failing to clear the European Tour School first qualifying stage last week.

Simon Edwards, from Wrexham club Clays, clinched the Order of Merit for the Mike Slater Memorial Trophy.