STRICKEN Simon Dyson has launched a gym'll fix it drive after a collision with a car door dented hopes of competing for more than £11million in prize money.

The Malton and Norton king of clubs has been cast into enforced exile and is expected to miss six major tournaments on the European Tour as he recovers from a fractured bone in his right hand suffered after a freak accident.

Dyson was giving his York-based dad, John, a lift home but hadn't fully opened the driver's door to his Audi TT car. As the wind gathered strength it blew the door back on his right hand.

The agonising upshot was a broken bone in the hand leading to the bottom joint of one of his fingers - the seriousness of the injury initially spotted by former Lancashire and England cricketer Neil Fairbrother, who is part of Dyson's ISM management team.

But the cruellest break of all is that the 25-year-old player is now likely to miss at least four weeks of the season.

And in that absence the Tour swings into four of its most lucrative events starting with the Benson and Hedges Trophy currently being fought out at The De Vere Belfry course. That's followed by the European Open in Hamburg (May 15-18), the Volvo PGA Championship at Wentworth (May 22-25), the Wales Open at Celtic Manor (May 29-June 1), the British Masters at Forest of Arden (June 5-8) and the Aa St Omer Open in France (June 12-15).

The anguish of it all hit Dyson almost as hard as that heavy car door when he attended the Benson and Hedges this week to meet his coach Pete Cowen.

"I was supposed to go down there for two days, but after the first day I just wanted to come away. It was sickening. It was just like a footballer not being able to play because of injury but has to watch the match.

"I just couldn't do it. It was a nightmare," Dyson told the Evening Press from his Manchester base.

However, Dyson is not planning to mope about his ill-luck. He has joined a nearby gymnasium, and while he won't be pumping iron he will definitely be putting in the miles to ensure his stamina is at its maximum for his scheduled return at the Diageo Championship at Gleneagles in Scotland on June 19.

"I'm going to be hitting the running machine and the exercise bikes hard because when I return I want to be firing right from the start.

"Before the injury I was just beginning to play good again," reflected Dyson, who has had a moderate start to the 2003 Tour. "I wasn't getting great scores, but I felt I was getting back into the groove. Then this happens.

"Now I am determined to get something positive out of my lay-off."

TEENAGER Stewart Parkin is in line for his York Union of Golf Clubs' debut a week tomorrow and the youngster will relish the chance to shine, said Malton and Norton professional Steve Robinson.

The 17-year-old Parkin, who hails from Captain Cook's Crescent in Whitby, takes his place in the York Union team to entertain Bradford at Fulford GC.

Playing off two, he is a member of Malton and Norton GC to where he came on Yorkshire coaching held by Robinson a couple of years ago.

The rapid strides made by the youngster were amply demonstrated last summer when, at the age of 16, he won the York match-play championship, ironically beating two of his new York Union team-mates - Neil Thompson and Jim Batt - in the semi-final and final respectively.

Enthused Robinson: "We've always had the philosophy at this golf club that if you're good enough then you're old enough. So get him in the team, that's what we say.

"Stuart is a very good prospect. He is a great striker of the ball and he has a nice short game and I am certain he will hold his own."

Including debutant Parkin, there is a good mix of potential and experience in the York Union ranks, whose core is provided by Fulford. They boast a six-strong contingent for the Bradford duel which includes James Mason, who is expected to return to his hometown Rotherham's Thryburgh GC after he completes his computer science and mathematics degree at York University later this year.

The York Union team: James Duckett, Steve Dunn, Matthew Lord, James Mason, Jonathan Plaxton, Iain Simpson (all Fulford); Martin Brown, Adrian Lount (both Pike Hills); Jim Batt (Heworth); Chris Brownlee (York); Stuart Parkin (Malton and Norton); Neil Thompson (Scarthingwell).

Reserves: Sean Ramsdale, Chris Watson (both Scarthingwell); Derek Stainthorpe (The Oaks).

THERE will be a bigger harvest at Kilnwick Percy GC's seventh annual Farmers' Day later this month.

New trophies and an enhanced prize fund have been finalised for the event which raises funds for the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution. BATA Limited and Trident Feeds are sponsoring the tournament.

The overall trophy in the men's April Medal, meanwhile, was won by Tim Leach who had a nett 66, just ahead of Clive Elmer 68 in division two.

In division one David Burrows netted 66 off 11 to trim his handicap to 9.9. Second with a nett 67 was Steven Kendra to earn a place in the Golf Foundation Weetabix age group championships at Howley Hall in July.

Christine Hunter won the ladies' medal with a nett 65 ahead of Iona Buckle in second and Vivien Howson in third with the qualifier netting a winning score of 67 for Linda Pink followed by second-placed Jenny Brooks on 70.

The East Riding Union of Golf Clubs' Millennium stableford qualifier saw Kevin Beattie take a decisive lead in division one with 40 points.

Paul Hawkett, second on count-back on 37 from Graham Martin, will represent division two, while the division three section will be led by captain Steve Johnson in the final at Hessle GC next month.

Ludwell on Bay watch

Selby GC professional Nick Ludwell posted a one-under 69 to grab joint third place in the Professional Golfers' Association's north-east qualifier for the Glenmuir British Club Championship played at York GC.

It also means that Ludwell (pictured right) and the other top 16 go into the four-round £10,000 Glenmuir final, which will be held in mid-August at the new Sam Torrance-designed St Andrews Bay course, seven miles from the spiritual home of the game.

Also through to that coveted climax is Scarborough South Cliff's Tony Skingle. He also shot 69.

The winner of the north-east qualifier was German-based Darren Leng, originally from Brough near Hull.

He jetted in from Dusseldorf, then drove overnight from Stansted Airport to the Strensall-based York GC to make the event - but the exacting trip was made all the more worthwhile with a three-under 67, to snatch victory by a shot from Boston's Scott Emery.

Former Dewsbury GC member, Nick Rayne, who has spent 19 years as a professional in Stuttgart, made good use of a visit home to see his father - who lives just around the corner from the Strensall club. He was among nine players who fired rounds of 69.

Vulcan high

KNARESBOROUGH GC assistants Andrew Turner and Mike Nicholson were both in the money, as were Selby GC's Daniel Grieve and Christopher Smith of The Bridlington Links in the Consort Travel Vulcan Trophy played at Lindrick. Smith had rounds of 75 and 73 for a six-over 148 and joint 15th place ahead of Turner on 149 (76 73) for joint 19th with club-mate Nicholson three strokes further back (76 76). Grieve carded a two-round total of 154 (75 79) to put him in with a share of 31st place in an event won by Whitley Bay's Gary Donnison with a four-under 138 (72 66).

Hew labour

AN early start reaped dividends as winds gained in strength in the York Union of Golf Clubs' Kitching Trophy at Heworth Golf Club. The gusts made afternoon playing conditions more difficult enabling the Kirkbymoorside pairing of Andy Crawford (4 handicap) and John Spanton (6) - they were one of the first duos out on the course - to prevail with a score of 62. In second place was Malton and Norton GC voice-captain Eddie Ruddock and club-mate Bill Redmond on 63 with the home club pairing of Bernie Mennell and Gaz Taylor third on 64.

Hail in Vic

NET gains were plundered at the double by Chris Stericker. The six-handicapper won the first qualifying round of Fulford's Victory Cup with a nett 67, also winning the best gross prize with his score of 73. The second qualifying round was won by John Smith, the former manager and clerk of York Racecourse. He also carded a nett 67.

Wright stuff

CAROLE Wainwright won Fulford's may Medal with a two-under-par 72, while Emma Ludwell, playing off six, had the best gross of 82 to qualify for the club championship together with Jenny Whicher, Dot Elliott and Anita Beattie.

Stew's pot

The overall winner of the Forest Park GC May Medal was Duncan Stewart after he posted a nett 67. In the club's battle for the Old Foss Trophy went to Barbara Flaherty and Larry Murray whose 73 gave them victory by three shots.

Originally published: Saturday, May 10, 2003