DAVE Grimshaw won the battle of the former champions in a tense clash with Jason Ashworth in the Observer Golf Shield.

Dave, 49, is the defending champion and made it through to the quarter-finals seeing off the 2005 winner at Accrington, where both play.

"It finished one up and there was only one shot in it all the way round," said Dave.

"He went one up in the first three, then it was all-square after six and it see-sawed from then but it was close.

"There were around a dozen people watching the match and there was a lot of interest and bets flying around."

Dave is keen to defend his crown at Baxenden on September 7 but has been drawn against in-form 14-year-old Thomas Briggs, the youngest person in the competition who plays off eight, in the quarter-finals.

Paul Swan is the only representative outside Accrington GC and he continued to fly the flag for Green Haworth by seeing off Terry Gill.

"It was quite a tight match," said former finalist Swan, who tackles another youngster 17-year-old Carl Taylor in the quarter-finals.

Carl’s brother Shaun, 19, is also still in the competition and the two would not clash until the final if they both get through as Shaun pits his skills against Will Rimmington in the last eight.

Andy Lewis, who plays off five, got through with victory over Steve McIntyre Junior.

"It is the first time I have got this far and I am playing okay at the moment," said Andy, the oldest competitor at 50. He will take on Adam Smith in the quarter-finals.

QUARTER-FINAL DRAW - TO BE PLAYED BY 17 AUG

Tom Briggs v Dave Grimshaw at Rishton

Will Rimmington v Shaun Taylor at Great Harwood

Adam Smith v Andy Smith at Green Haworth

Carl Taylor v Paul Swan at Whalley

SEMI-FINALS - TO BE PLAYED BY 31 AUG

C Taylor/P Swan v T Briggs/ D Grimshaw at Rossendale

W Rimmington/S Taylor v A Smith/A Lewis at Whalley

RESULTS

Andy Lewis (Acc) bt Steve McIntyre (Acc) 4&3

Carl Taylor (Acc) bt R McWade (Acc) 1up

Paul Swan (Gn Haw) bt Terry Gill (Acc) 6&4

Dave Grimshaw (Acc) bt Jason Ashworth (Acc) 1up

S Taylor (Acc) bt A Guest (Acc) 5&4

Thomas Briggs (Acc) bt G Yates (Acc) 4&3

A Smith (Acc) beat J Eddleston (Acc) 6&5

W Rimmington (Acc) bt J O'Boyle (Acc) 4&2