FULFORD youngster Charlie Thornton is the new North of England Open Amateur Championship title holder.

A fine show of controlled golf and dogged determination gave Thornton the strokeplay success at Alwoodley GC, as he took the crown from 2017 winner David Hague, from Malton & Norton GC.

Ninety-six golfers teed up for the 72-hole championship, the final event on the 2018 England Golf Order of Merit, with Thornton carding a one-under-par total of 283 over the four rounds, to win by two shots.

A blustery first day made low scoring difficult but Thornton, Sam Rook (Lindrick GC) and James Cooper (Cumberwell Park) all fired exceptional level-par rounds, with Reece Samson (Worksop) two shots back, one ahead of Ben Firth (Leeds Golf Centre) and Arron Edwards-Hill (Chelmsford).

Defending champion Hague failed to return a score and took no further part in the championship.

Round two brought improved conditions and Conor White (Brignorth) duly recorded the first sub-par round of the championship, when he came in with a 70 for a two-round total of 151.

Luke Northwood (Kenilworth) and Barclay Brown (Hallamshire) both recorded level-par rounds and six golfers fired one-over-par scores of 72.

Courtesy of a solid 73, Thornton topped the leaderboard on 144, one shot ahead of Rook, with Edwards-Hill, Samson and Firth all on 146.

With the 36-hole cut falling on 155, the top 32 competitors moved on to play the final two round the following day with the championship trophy and the County Plate at stake.

Round three saw a number of sub-pars rounds - the pick being from Thornton who shot a magnificent and decisive 65.

Brown showed some of his Carris Trophy-winning form with a 68, the same score as Tom Broxup (Cookridge Hall GC) with Edwards-Hill recording a 69.

Going into the final round, Thornton (209) had a six-shot lead over Edwards-Hill and Brown, with Rook fourth on 216.

As the winning post got ever nearer, the scores of the top few players fluctuated considerably and Thornton’s lead slowly started to ebb away.

However, he showed great determination on the back nine and eventually reached the safety of the clubhouse after recording a three-over-par round of 74 for a winning total of 283 - two shots less than Rook who almost chased the leader down after a closing two-under-par 69.

Edwards-Hill finished third on 286 after a 71 and Curtis Knipes showed why he is English Men’s County Champion of Champions by recording a 68 in capturing fourth place.

In additional to the North of England Open Amateur Championship title, the County Plate was also on offer for the two golfers from the same county who recorded the lowest aggregate score over 72 holes.

Thornton triumphed again as he and Sam Rook kept the trophy in Yorkshire.