GOLF'S marathon men have brought charitable cheer to a couple of York-area clubs.

A father and son team from Romanby GC raised £800 for charity after completing a 151 holes in day.

Neil Bellerby, junior co-ordinator at the club, and his son, Robert, the junior captain, from Northallerton, played from dawn-till-dusk on Sunday, June 22, to raise the cash, which has been split between the Captain's Charity, the Children's Unit at the Friarage Hospital and the Romanby Junior Section.

Cheered on by club members, the pair managed almost eight and a half rounds of golf in one day.

Neil said: "It's brilliant that we've been able to raise so much money for the two causes. It was tough, but the support from the members was fantastic. I'd like to thank everyone who turned up, and of course everyone who sponsored us."

The previous day Steve Johnson and David Jacobs covered every inch of the Kilnwick Percy course.

Club captain Johnson and past captain Jacobs completed six rounds of golf in a day to raise money for charity.

Last year they completed 101 holes in a day, but on the longest day - Saturday, June 21 - this year they completed six full 18-hole rounds.

That totalled 108 holes and helped raise nearly £600 for Dove House Hospice in Hull.

The prolific pair started at 4am with buggy driver Frank Smith carrying clubs and refreshments.

They completed their first three rounds by 11am before a late breakfast and an hour's rest set them up for the fourth round. Members and visitors allowed them to play through to help them towards their target.

Lady captain Linda Johnson took over as support crew and after a 30-minute break the fifth round saw them back on the course at 6pm to complete the final round by 8.15pm - the fastest round of the day.

Their feat of endurance was matched by the exitement of the KP club's Ladies Matchplay when Iona Buckle and Carol Kilford finished all-square on the 18th. The first extra hole saw victory for Kilford, who will meet Jenny Brook in the quarter-finals.

Christine Hunter beat Linda Pink and will meet Vivien Howson for a place in the semi-finals.

Former Heworth professional Neil Cheetham shot a course record 63, nine under par when he won the Magdalne Fields pro-am, near Berwick.

YORK professional Kirsty Taylor slipped off the pace in her first US Women's Open Championship after finishing four-over after the second round at Pumpkin Ridge.

Having shot a level-par 71 over the first 18, Taylor found the second round tougher going as she picked up five bogeys, with a sole birdie at the 17th.

However, despite being ten shots behind leader Mhairi McKay, Taylor currently lies in joint-31st and clear of the cut.

Meanwhile, the Smurfit European Open misery of Simon Dyson continued yesterday as Malton and Norton ace finished a total of 13-over for his two rounds, with a 79 adding to Thursday's 78.

MALTON'S Steve Robinson had to share county bragging rights after he finished level on 212 with Yorkshire colleagues James Godbold, Aran Wainwright and Paul Carmen at the De Vere-Htels City of Leeds Cup.

However, the quartet finished 11 shots adrift of winner Jon Cheetham.

Graham Cherry was a double-winner in the Fulford's June medal, taking both the best gross prize with his 74 off his ten handicap and the nett prize with a 64.

Updated: 10:37 Saturday, July 05, 2003