KEEPING a grip will be to the fore for esteemed Harrogate Golf Club coach Bill Ferguson next week.

That's when the man, who helped to put Colin Montgomerie on the road to glory and riches, will be defending his PGA Super 60's tournament at the Rudding Park complex.

Now teaching at the Harrogate club, Ferguson first took a then nine-year-old Monty under his wing when he was club pro' at Ilkley and worked with him for more than 25 years.

Ferguson will be in tandem with Harrogate's Ian McDougall (eight handicap) in the betterball event which the duo captured with an impressive 14-under-par a year ago.

Among the challengers to Ferguson and McDougall's crown next Tuesday and Wednesday will be the Scarborough North Cliff GC pairing of professional Keith Johnstone and Jack Atack (6) and Pannal GC's of Murray Burgess and David Lister (15).

WITH winter on its way super-fit Malton and Norton assistant professional James Drinkall hared back from the Great North Run to partnered Bob Mansell to a warming triumph.

The duo posted a seven-under-par 63 to win the opening meeting of the East Riding Alliance's winter team championship held at Sutton Park. It was the first of ten fixtures in the popular East Riding winter programme.

Drinkall, who also plays in central midfield for Northern Counties East League premier division side Pickering Town FC, and Mansell finished one shot clear of three teams, whose count-back position determined that Pike Hills' Ian Tailby and Dave Storey bagged second place.

KNARESBOROUGH trio Gary Vickers, Andrew Turner and Mike Nicholson, Malton and Norton duo Steve Robinson and James Drinkall and Gary Brown (Ganton) are among the entrants in the Manchester Open at Mottram Hall next week.

David Sugden and Alan Lowe captured the men's prize in Allerthorpe Park's Drakes Rover Trophy betterball stroke-play competition with a round of 62. Chris Hyde and Sally Wilkinson were convincing winners of the ladies event with a 67, three strokes ahead of their nearest rivals.

SELBY GC will host the final of the Yorkshire Inter-club Foursomes between Scarborough North Cliff and Howley Hall on October 3.

Peter Mark, a member of Fulford since 1977, won the September midweek medal with a nett 66. It was the first time he has won a club competition.

KILNWICK Percy GC have appointed Tony Hutchinson as their 2004 captain in place of Steve Johnson with Steve Cooper the new vice-captain.

Updated: 10:14 Saturday, September 27, 2003