Parkin charge to hold his title

The 17-year-old who hails from Whitby, but now plays out off Malton and Norton, retained his York Union of Golf Clubs' match-play title with an exiting 2 and 1 triumph over York's experienced campaigner David Holder.

Both players finished with under-par rounds when the game ended on the 17th hole but it was Parkin who held his nerve to clinch victory and hold on to a title he won last year as one of the event's youngest ever champions.

Parkin was two holes up after nine holes, scoring a birdie at the fourth and eagling the ninth to score 33.

Holder had a one-under par 35 and he won two of the next three holes to reduce square the score before parkin surged to lead by two again with three holes to play.

But the determined Holder replied with a win at 16 only to be left for a difficult shot after a wayward drive at the long par-four 17th.

He managed to get the ball to the green about 14 feet from the pin but it was to no avail because Parkin had reduced the hole to a drive of 300 yards and a wedge to three feet, holing the putt for a birdie and the title.

Parkin had earlier beaten Pike Hills' Martin Brown by a similar 2 and 1 margin in the semi-finals, while Holder defeated Peter Jolliffe (Scarthingwell) 3 and 2.

Brown, however, bounced back within 24 hours of his match-play misery to lead Pike Hills to the YUGC Team Championship title with rounds of 69 and 71.

Adrian Lount (76 73), Neil Tailby (80 75) and Rob Hamilton (73 78) also contributed to Pike Hills' final score of 595.

Fulford were second on 605 thanks to the efforts of captain Jonathan Plaxton (70 74), Steve Dunn (71 77), D Leaf (83 82) and Matthew Lord (75 73).

Brown was also awarded the Issott Trophy for the performance of the day after his two-round 140 total.

The Oaks' junior Phillip Dobson was his nearest rival after successive rounds of 71.

KNARESBOROUGH GC professional Gary Vickers finished the Northern PGA campaign on a high.

A stirring performance in the MEN Open at Mottram Hall - the last in the Northern calendar - yielded a joint sixth place for Vickers, whose eight-under total of 208 comprised rounds of 70 69 and 69. That earned him more than £600 in prize money but, more importantly, elevated him to 20th position in the Delta Airlines North Region order of merit, where he collected 305 points from four tournament outings.

Ganton GC's Gary Brown, who was in joint 12th at Mottram Hall (69 72 68), finished 27th in the order of merit in which he played in three counting events.

Malton and Norton pro' Steve Robinson eventually finished in 49th place after also completing three of the four events, while Knaresborough's Andrew Turner was 59th and Selby's Nick Ludwell a further three places behind.

THE Kilnwick Percy GC seniors and ladies mixed Texas scramble was won by Keith Bryan, Christine Gillyon and Christine Hunter with a nett 61, two shots ahead of Brian Petrie, Rob Rycroft and Carol Kilford, who claimed second place on count-back from Norman Hunter, Malcolm Sharkey and Linda Pink.

The September midweek stableford was captured by Malcolm Plewes on 36 points. Second was Don Caskie with Mick Addinall in third. In another stableford event, Neil Atkinson posted 43 points, earning a cut to a 16 handicap. Mick Johnson was second on 39 on count-back from Peter Wilson, both players seeing their handicaps trimmed to 22.

The ladies' stableford went to Vivien Howson on 39 points with Iona Buckle second on count-back after she and Carol Kilford each totalled 37.

York accountants Garbutt and Elliott, represented by David King (12) and former partner Bob Elliott (7), both members of Fulford Golf Club, won the national Chartered Accountants Golfing Society annual 36-hole foursomes competition held at Moor Park, near Rickmansworth.

They beat holders Atkinson's of London by one shot. This is the third time Garbutt and Elliott have been national champions.

Updated: 11:10 Saturday, October 04, 2003