The 27-year-old Brookdale assistant chose the Leeds course because the final will be played there in July.
"It made sense to try to get another round in there," said Thwaites, from Ashton-under-Lyne. And his decision was justified when he led the 97-strong field with a one-under-par 70 to record his maiden professional victory.
Yet it all started depressingly for him when he bogeyed the first two holes.
"That fairly woke me up," said Thwaites, who birdied the next plus the seventh and ninth, chipping in from 30 feet for an outward 35.
Two gains and two losses evened out the back nine, on which he played an assured eight iron 167 yards to three feet from the flag at the 425-yard final hole for a birdie.
LAST man Mike Kanski in the Player's Tour fixture at Ringway carded a four-under-par 67 to deny Houghwood's Barry Taylor his third victory.
The former Lancashire county player from Hesketh handed in a bogey free card as Taylor, leader in the clubhouse for most of the day, settled for a share of second place with Eaglescliffe's Ryan Riley. Davyhulme Park four-handicapper Oliver Pantoja was top amateur on 70, while Andrew Murray led the senior section with 71.
CROMPTON and Royton's centenary celebrations got off to a flying start when captain Tony Doidge, vice-captain Phil Delaney, women's captain Lynn Truelove and Pauline Givvons played 100 holes in less than 13 hours to raise funds for Francis House.
The day chosen was the exact date of the founding of the club in 1908.
BRAMHALL'S Peter Oldham combined with Dave Strachen, from Mellor and Townscliffe, to clinch the Manchester Captains' Founders' Day Trophy with 44 points at Hopwood Cottage.
PAUL and Steve Yearsley, from Swinton Park, took the honours in the South East Lancs GA bogey competition at Flixton with a score of nine up.
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