RISE and shine is precisely what Adam Newton did to help the York Union of Golf Clubs' team get off to a sparkling start to their calendar.

Barely had dawn broke when Newton was hard at work preparing Fulford Golf Club in readiness for it hosting the York Union team's first match of the season against reigning Yorkshire Inter-District Union champions Bradford.

After putting in several hours' graft he returned home to get some sleep. But he had hardly closed his eyes when he got a telephone SOS from York Union team captain Neil Thompson requesting he dash back to Fulford to deputise for the late withdrawal of Adrian Lount.

Without hesitation, Newton responded and was back playing those very same greens he had diligently tended only a few hours earlier. And his efforts with the clubs were as impressive as his earlier handiwork helping head green-keeper Mark Mennell hone the course to its customary excellence.

The 19-year-old Newton narrowly lost his foursomes match in tandem with Fulford GC captain Jonathan Plaxton as York defied all the odds, and the form-book, to carve out an 8-4 lead in the morning.

Then, in the afternoon he was one of only three of the York Union players to triumph - the others being Plaxton and Iain Simpson - as York lost the singles 9-15 for an overall 19-17 defeat to the Yorkshire title-holders.

Recalled the youngster, who is aiming to go to college in September to study horticulture after being part of the green-keeping team at Fulford for two months: "It was a bit of a turn-around.

"I was working at the course at about quarter to six and after we finished I went home to bed. I'd got a couple of hours sleep when I got the phone call, so back to Fulford I went.

"It went okay. Though I lost in the morning I managed to win my singles match. Actually, the team did very well to get so close to the champions."

Both Newton's display and the performance of the team - York are the smallest county in the Yorkshire Union - were hailed by York Union skipper Thompson.

"Adam was one of the original squad members anyway, but had been away and been unable to attend a squad meeting which he acknowledged in a letter to me," explained the captain.

"So when circumstances arose so that we needed his services I rang him and he came straight down, even though he had been working on the greens at Fulford in the early hours of the morning."

"Given all that he did exceptionally well, as did the team. "

Thompson further enthused: "I was proud of them for what was my first time in charge.

"Considering we had some new players in the side we performed extremely well against a Bradford side full of experienced players. To literally have finished just one match away from them bodes well for the future."

The foursomes winners for York were: James Duckett (Fulford) and Stewart Parkin (Malton and Norton); Iain Simpson (Fulford) and Neil Thompson (Scarthingwell); Jim Batt (Heworth) and Derek Stainthorpe (The Oaks); Sean Ramsdale (Scarthingwell) and Chris Brownlee (York).

KILNWICK Percy GC have secured major sponsorship from Michael Sessions, managing director of 'Radius', for the Pocklington Chamber of Trade and Commerce golf day at the course on June 11.

The event has been held at Kilnwick Percy each year since 1997.

The club's May Medal, meanwhile, was won by Jamie Nesfield in division one with a nett 66 ahead of Paul Hawkett, who pipped Martin Ander-son to second on count-back after both scored 67. Nesfield has been forwarded to the English Golf Union Gold Medal event at Woodhall Spa. Division two winner was Mark Dawson (68).

The ladies' May qualifier was led by Margaret Miller on 66 ahead of Jenny Brooks in second and Denise Ridsdale third. The May Medal winner was Carol Kilford (68).

Updated: 10:21 Saturday, May 24, 2003