EIGHT is great for Martin Brown - but York's most successful amateur golfer for a generation is dreaming of a date at the Home of Golf.

The Pike Hills stalwart picked up his eighth York Amateur Championship title after two level par rounds of 72 gave him a one shot victory over Malton & Norton's David Hague at The Oaks GC, in Aughton, last weekend.

In rain, and later blustery wind, Brown was two-under-par at the turn in his first round but lost a couple of shots on the back nine and had to settle for sitting around the pace as Hague and York GC's Mark Newton both carded excellent 70s.

With gusts getting stronger in the afternoon, though, Newton slipped out of contention with a 78 and Hague's 75 would prove one shot too much as Brown's consistency bagged him one of the York Union of Golf Clubs' top prizes.

But, having been the mainstay of the amateur scene in York for more than a decade, 35-year-old Brown has revealed he still wants to try his luck on the professional circuit.

Helping him start to achieve that ambition would be a strong showing in The Open qualifying. This year's regional round takes place at Moortown, in Leeds, on June 22 with final qualifying at one of four venues a week later.

Having come close in the past to securing a spot in the Major tournament, Brown is especially motivated with this year's championship being played on the famous Old Course at St Andrews.

And he couldn't be going in with better form.

"I am thrilled," he said after his latest York Amateur win. "The young lads are hitting it a lot further than me so I am very pleased. When I first started out I would never have thought about winning it this many times. If anything, this one was quite good.

"There are a lot of young lads and they are getting better. I had to take each hole as it comes. I putted quite badly so it shows how well I hit it. I had 34 putts in the morning and 31 in the afternoon. I was hitting fairways and getting really close and then missing putts from ten feet.

"It could have been really silly if I'd had an average day on the greens. I also thought some of the lads who shot good scores in the morning probably couldn't in the afternoon. That's not being nasty but 36 holes in a day puts pressure on you mentally.

"My ambition is to make it nine next year. It is round my home course at Pike Hills and, of course, I would fancy my chances."

On his prospects to join the likes of Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods in Scotland in July, Brown added: "I am going for The Open. It's the same week as the Brabazon Trophy. I am playing in practice for that on the Monday at Notts Golf Club and then I will be trying to qualify at Moortown (before returning to the Brabazon).

"I have come close a couple of times before and I need to do well on the big stage. My ambition is to turn professional and it would be nice to try and secure sponsorship. I am 35 and it is the right time. I have done really well around the regional scene for many years.

"To extend that to the national scene and to qualify for The Open would be fantastic."

To help Brown achieve his professional ambitions, potential sponsors can contact him by emailing browncow2610@gmail.com