Lee Smith (Kettering) lifted the first piece of County silverware for the year after winning the NGL Higgs Bowl at Overstone Park GC.

The six-handicapper carded two gross birdies in a net 68 to finish one ahead of Josh Sampson (Collingtree), with Ben Hohm (Kettering) and Andy Wheatley (Wellingborough) a further stroke off the pace.

In the first NGL Order of Merit event of the year, County first team player Fraser Carnihan (Cold Ashby) birdied two of the short holes on his way to the leading gross score of 72.