A FINE 65 had Neil Ferguson celebrating the round of his life - but the Haxby golfer missed out on achieving the new course record at York Golf Club.

The three handicapper set the Strensall club's midweek medal alight with a superb round of five-under-par, thanks to a brilliant display of ball striking and putting.

Ferguson went through the first nine in 34 shots, one under par, after recording birdies at the sixth and ninth holes.

He then proceeded to blister through the back - picking up shots at the 12th, 14th, 15th and 18th as he negotiated the final nine in a mere 31 strokes.

Ferguson's gross score of 65 became a nett 62 and gave him 44 stableford points (21 out and 23 in) and left him believing he had set a record low mark on the JH Taylor-designed course.

Rotherham GC's Jamie Harrison struck 65 shots on his way to winning the 35th Rose Bowl last year but competition standard scratch has since been increased from 70 to 71 strokes.

But, because Ferguson's score was put together in a stableford event, it won't count as far as the official records are concerned.

The R&A, the game's governing body, does not define what a course record is in the Rules of Golf. But it does say it is generally accepted a record score is recognised only if it is made in an individual stroke play competition - excluding bogey, par or stableford competitions.

Ferguson said: "It was the round of my life. It was good. I played with Chris Lone - who is off three - and we were bouncing off each other. He was two under at the turn and I was one under.

"I managed to get in front of him on the 12th. I birdied it to go two under and we were just chasing each other. I didn't even think about my score, I was just trying to beat Chris.

"I was going down the 18th and was four under and had a bit of luck at the end. I had hit it into the trees and knocked it out to the front of the green. I was just trying to get as close as I could and I chipped in off the front."

He added: "I have been playing well for a while and I have got to keep it going. It is a shame it doesn't count (as a course record). I am a bit gutted about that after having an email from the competition secretary. I will have to do it again another time.

"But I am delighted with the score. My exact handicap was 2.9 and I think I will be down to two dead now. I was especially pleased with the closing hole.

"It is a tough finish at York so I was chuffed. "

The brilliant score capped a great couple of weeks for Ferguson who, late last month, made his first hole in one for a quarter of a century.

"The last one I had was when I was 17 and a junior at Heworth," he said. "I hit a wedge on the par-3 11th and great to see it go in."