JIM Batt, an ever-present for Heworth, who this year won the East Riding Alliance team championship for the first time in the 43-year history of the competition, was the leading amateur in the 36-hole East Riding Alliance Championship at Pike Hills.

The Heworth stalwart was among a group of four to share the lead on two-under-par 69 at the half-way stage, but was unable to maintain his sub-par efforts over the second 18 holes.

Martin Brown, who holds the course record at Pike Hills with an eight-under-par 63, led the host club's challenge and finished fourth - and second in the amateur ratings - with a level-par aggregate 142 in which he had to give two strokes back to the course.

Ganton professional Gary Brown, champion in 1991 and 2002, who did not defend the title last year, posted a three-under-par 139 to pip Nick Ludwell, who won the championship in 1998, by one stroke after a dazzling second round recovery. Selby professional Ludwell was also one of the four pace-setters at the half-way stage.

But Brown clinched the championship - restricted to competitors in the scratch to seven handicap bracket - with a near-flawless five-under-par 66 performance over his second 18 holes on which he carded six birdies, although he bogeyed the 312-yards Par 4 11th after pushing his tee-shot into a lake.

The curtain falls on the ER Alliance season on Wednesday, April 28, with the Secretary's Trophy at Hessle. The annual meeting is scheduled to be held at Driffield on Monday, May 17.

Updated: 10:34 Saturday, April 17, 2004