DEDICATED golfer Steve Dunn may have reached the scoring forties but he is winding up towards joining the professionals.

The Fulford Golf Club ace stunned a field studded with the area's leading professionals to win the York Union Open championship at Easingwold GC.

He set a new amateur record at the club and then confirmed to the Evening Press that at the age of 43 he still cherished the dream of becoming a full-time professional.

Dunn, a self-employed plumber based in Huntington, is stealthily working his way towards entering the lucrative senior pro' ranks and his drive towards that goal was given fresh impetus by the unexpected title triumph by one shot from Boothferry Park assistant professional Robert Bunday.

The new champion has given himself another two years to get himself down to a scratch handicap, or below, to afford himself the best chance of making a living on the seniors' tour, where the age qualification is expected to fall at regular intervals from its current 50.

He admitted that if he does not trim his handicap then he will stay with his present day job, but no-one can doubt Dunn's determination to hook into a new way of sporting life.

After 25 years playing the game, first at Kirkbymoorside, and then at Fulford since 1999, Dunn decided that to make it as a pro' he would have to re-model his entire swing. He bought a training video and set up a driving net in his garden and for almost the past two months meticulously broke down his swing.

The upshot, revealed Dunn, was that he was playing worse than ever. Even the customary steadiness of his iron game had gone askew and his handicap increased to three.

But he has diligently persevered and was rewarded with his Open title conquest at Easingwold, where his afternoon round posted a new amateur course record of 69 to add to his first round of 71 and a winning 140 total.

Said Dunn: "I was playing with Neil Smith from Heworth and with three holes to go I thought he was going to win, but I managed to get home first.

"It was an absolute honour to be playing in a field with so many York professionals. I was just pleased to have won.

"Now I've given myself two years to change it all round and see if I can turn professional."

Dunn's conquest also completed a worthy one-two for Fulford GC.

The club now boasts the Open champion in Dunn to add to the York Union amateur title-holder in Matthew Kelly. Both have been selected alongside James Mason and Steve Mitchell in Fulford's 'elite' team to play in the Yorkshire first division next week.

Besides Dunn's new amateur course record of 69 since the re-designing of the Easingwold circuit, another course best fell during the York Union's Open tournament.

Runner-up Bunday hit a first round 68 to set a new professional record at the club. He followed that with a 73 for a 141 total that was just one shot adrift of the new champion.

Heworth GC's assistant professional Smith was third on 142, while among three players a further shot adrift Malton and Norton pro' Steve Robinson had the morning's best return of 70. The afternoon round's best was shot by Boothferry Park's James Duckett.

All the competition prizes were presented by Tom Clarke, president of the York Union and a member of the host club.

GANTON GC professional Gary Brown improved his rating to fifth in the 2002 PGA north region Order of Merit after a fine show in the De Vere Hotels championship at Heron's Reach in Blackpool.

Brown posted scores of 71 70 and 66 to finish with a nine-under-par total of 207 and 11th place in the tournament won by Birchwood's Phillip Archer 197 (63 66 68). That earned Brown £417.

Christopher Smith of Bridlington Links was also in the money in joint 20th place on 209 (69 72 68) as was Malton and Norton's Steve Robinson in joint 45th on 215 (72 68 75), with Knaresborough's Gary Vickers back in 49th on one-over 217 (73 69 75).

Vickers is in 19th spot in the Order of Merit with Smith three places behind and another Knaresborough player, Andrew Turner in 33rd, though he has played one event less.

The leader is Neil Cheetham, the former Heworth pro' who now plays out of Barlborough Links. He is 13 points ahead of Archer going into the final event, the Manchester Evening News Manchester Open next month.

KILNWICK Percy GC's second ladies open of the season, a pairs betterball stableford event, was won by Cherry Burton GC duo Eileen Thackery and Penny Thrush.

Second place was claimed by Mrs M Godson and Mrs S Acey (Hainsworth Park) with third spot going to Cherry Burton's Mrs m Wilson and Mrs E Spencer on count-back.

Kilnwick's Rob Kettlestring and guest W Baynes won the men's invitation pairs betterball stableford off -handicap.

In the club's junior/student summer series Lee Eastoe won with 41 points to trim his handicap from 14 to 12. Toby Gowthorpe was second on 38.

THERE was a three-way tie in Allerthorpe Park GC's Ravensworth Cup mixed competition with three teams locked on 76. The count-back settled the event for Christine Floyd, Tony Cahalin and Pat Lucid.

The club's first division medal was won by Ian Garner with a nett 60, with Sheena Barton's 66 gaining the ladies' section medal.

YORK GC member Steve Herridge, won the Toft Green Golf Society's competition at The Oaks with 38 stableford points. Six players tied on 34 and a count-back went to the last six holes before second and third places went to Martin Eason and Stewart Morley (both unattached) respectively.

GANTON'S former England international, Mike Kelley, posted rounds of 74 72 to win the Yorkshire Seniors amateur championship at Hornsea by five shots. Fulford player Ken Hessay was ninth on 159 (75 84).

MALTON and Norton GC lead division one of the York Scratch League with 45 points, two ahead of Pike Hills. Scarthingwell top division two with 44, two ahead of The Oaks.

FORMER Fulford ladies' captain Joan Foster won the August medal with a two-under-par 72, three shots clear of June Hutt and Kay Woodfine.

Updated: 10:19 Tuesday, September 17, 2002