YORKSHIRE’S leading amateur players will descend on Fulford Golf Club next week for the coveted county crown.

The Yorkshire amateur championship graces the Heslington-based course with strokeplay rounds on Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by three days of match-play to determine the winner.

Home player Jamie Miller, winner of the Pannal Rosebowl to testify his current surge of excellent form, will be among the favourites and he heads a Fulford contingent of no fewer than 11 players.

Also presenting a formidable York challenge will be newly-crowned York Amateur champion Martin Brown.

The Pike Hills GC star has always relished playing at at Fulford, where head greenkeeper Mark Mennell and his team have prepared the course to inch-perfect condition.

Meanwhile, Brown warmed up for the championships by posting the lowest 36-holes score of 138 to lead Pike Hills GC to the Yorkshire third division team championship held at Knaresborough GC.

The team comprised Martin Brown, Craig Smith, Alistair Smith, and James Hudson and they had a combined score of 586 four better than their closest rivals West Bradford.

Brown was also among the leading performers for the York Union team, who unfortunately let “home” advantage slip by losing 20-16 at Fulford GC to defending Yorkshire Inter-District Union League champions East Riding.

In the foursomes, the top axis of Brown and Malton & Norton’s Chris Halley were their usual imperious selves with an emphatic 5 and 4 win.

Ash Simpson and Craig Smith never found their rhythm and lost, as did the new pairing of Alistair Smith and Johnny Moss who fell 2 and 1 to a pairing who are Collegiate golfers in the USA.

York’s other new pairing of Heworth GC ace Lee Waggott and Elliot Burdett, the Malton & Norton champion fresh from partnering world number 73 Simon Dyson in Malton’s centenary celebration exhibition match less than 24 hours earlier, toppled England international Paul Lockwood and Matt Daley for a fine 2-1 triumph.

After Lee Grant and Richard Brown were beaten, York looked to be losing the foursomes until a great recovery from Julian Taylor and Ross Earnshaw halved the morning session at 6-6.

The irrepressible Brown set a scorching pace around Fulford in the opening singles match where he destroyed his opponent 5 and 4, but defeats followed for both Halley and Moss before Simpson restored parity with an impressive 3 and 2 success.

Craig Smith battled to be one up on the final hole but had to be content with a half and there then followed defeats for Taylor, Alistair Smith, Burdett and Earnshaw.

Though Grant and Waggott both recorded fine 3 and 2 wins and Rich Brown eked out a half, East Riding could not be caught.

The Union ranks return to action in eight days’ time against the Harrogate Union at Oakdale GC.


It’s great Scott

HEWORTH GC’s Geoff Scott, who plays off a handicap of 14, had a hole in one on the 135-yard parthree 17th hole during the club’s Captain’s day.

And there was further celebration with the event raising £280 for the captain’s chosen charity of The Yorkshire Air Ambulance.