NEWENT'S Ian Brown toured the Taunton Vale course in a three-under par 67 on Tuesday and then admitted he'd also like to concentrate on another of his great sporting interests.

Playing in the West Region's qualifier for the Powerade PGA Assistants' Championship, the 24-year-old Gloucestershire player fired four birdies and a solitary bogey to lead the 10 qualifiers who'll tee up against 90 others from the rest of Great Britain and Ireland in the 54-hole final at The London Club, near Brands Hatch, on August 10-12.

Ian said: "I gave up karate when I was just on the verge of gaining my black belt and I'd really like to go back to finish the course."

Also a keen movie fan, Ian gave up martial arts because of the possibility of injury whilst in the midst of his PGA training.

He has another big golfing date on his calendar on Monday (July 4), regional qualifying at Minchinhampton for the Open Championship at St Andrews.

"If I get through that, I'd love to play final qualifying at Ladybank (his father Tom, who owns and is the professional at Newent, hails from Fife), where I played in the British boys' championship in 1998."

The holder, Matthew Ford, from Cobtree Manor in Kent, was also a comfortable qualifier, with a level-par 70.

The winner at The London Club not only wins £5,000 (double last year's first prize) but also receives an invitation to play in the TaylorMade-adidas US Assistants' Championship at PGA Golf Club, Port S. Lucie, Florida in October and the Tooheys New National Futures Championship at Newcastle Golf Club, New South Wales, Australia in November.

Regional qualifiers at Taunton Vale Golf Club.

1 67 (-3) Ian Brown (Newent), 2 68 (-2) Ian Ashenden (Weymouth), 3= 70 (level) Matthew Ford (Cobtree Manor), Anthony Williams (Pyle & Kenfig) Richard Brookman (Creigiau), 6 71 (+1) Adam Sawyer (Ferndown Forest), 7 72 (+2) Stuart Jenkins (Forest of Dean), 8= 73 (+3) Guiseppe Licata (The Bristol), Lester Barnes (Torquay), Ben Crofts (Ashley Wood).