SUP up your beer and collect your flags could be the driving force behind a competition to be held at York's Fulford Golf Club next month.

The Fulford club is to host two days of the Bass Ale Golfing Pub of the year tournament, one of the biggest amateur events in the United Kingdom.

Such has been the demand for the event that a second day, exclusively for York players, has been added so that Fulford will swing to the ring of clubs on March 19 and 20.

The major prize at the end of the Bass Ale rainbow is the chance to play at one of Europe's top courses - Vilamoura in Portugal in the grand final in June.

Said Bass Ale spokesman Graeme Mitchell: "Not many Sunday league footballers get the opportunity to score a goal in the Nou Camp, nor will many club cricketers ever get to score a century at Lord's. So it's a coup for York golfers to get the chance to play on some of the best courses in the UK and, with a lot of skill and a bit of luck, in Europe."

The tournament is open to all pubs and clubs in the UK and in the first round area heat ten of around 30 local teams will go to the area final. From there the top three go to a regional final in the quest to capture the northern title and, with it, the chance to play in the grand final in Portugal.

- FULFORD posted an exciting sudden-death win over Malton and Norton in the first round of the Mail On Sunday national classic.

The teams were deadlocked at 2-2 at Fulford - Steve Dunn and Jonathan Plaxton winning for the hosts, Dave Smith and Duncan Chapman similarly for Malton and Norton.

That forced a play-off between Plaxton, Fulford's captain-elect, and Matt Camacho at the par-four first-hole. Plaxton parred to win after Camacho's drive took him into the trees.

- Pike Hills GC member Bill Hopcutt notched his first hole-in-one at the seventh hole after a five-iron shot on his home course.

Updated: 10:39 Saturday, March 01, 2003