FAMILIAR names and faces graced the York Rose Bowl as it celebrated its 25th anniversary.

The prestigious tournament at The York Golf Club was won by Simon Coumbe of Pontefract and District. Playing off plus one, Coumbe shot rounds of 67 and 70 for a 36-hole gross total of 137 to finish three ahead of a North Yorkshire brace of Ganton GC's Fraser Kelley (70 70) and Harrogate teenager John Parry (69 71).

Coumbe's conquest repeated that of three years ago when he captured the Rose Bowl for the first time after a play-off against Wheatley Hills' Stephen Brennan, who this year was in joint-fourth on 141 (71 70) alongside Gary Barnes (72 69) of Crookhill Park.

Second-placed Kelley came close to completing a unique family double. His father, ex-Walker Cup international Mike Kelley, is one of only two two-time winners of the Rose Bowl - Kelley senior's triumphs garnered at the Strensall-based course in 1980 and 1994.

Parry's performance to come home third was one of the most eye-catching of the day. Only aged 16, the student at Knaresborough's King James School, who has graduated to the England Under-18 elite squad, showed a maturity belying his youth.

His display was equal to last year's fifth place overall in the Yorkshire Boys' Championship at Easingwold GC, where he won the Under-16s' trophy, confirming his status as one of the area's brightest prospects.

As part of the Rose Bowl's silver anniversary a special presentation of a quaich - a silver bowl of Scottish origin - was made to Shipley GC's Paul Crosby, the only played to have competed in every York Rose Bowl since it first got off the ground as the brainchild of York GC player Alex Rough.

Said York's Howard Stephenson, who was organising his seventh successive Rose Bowl: "We wanted to express our appreciation of Paul, who has been a staunch supporter of the event.

"The day went exceptionally well and the whole of the staff at the club take a lot of pride in having the tournament here. It's become one of the oldest scratch tournaments in the county and it's good for the players and for the club."

SIX of the area's top club professionals will travel to Leeds next week with Europe squarely on the horizon.

The half-dozen will be partnered by qualifying club champions at Sand Moor Golf Club in next Wednesday's the regional qualifier of the Lombard Trophy, Europe's biggest pro-am tournament backed by the Professional Golfers' Association and sponsored by the Royal Bank of Scotland.

At stake for the winners is a place in the grand final, which will be staged at the San Lorenzo circuit on Portugal's Algarve coast.

The North Yorkshire six are: professional Nick Ludwell and amateur Terry Gath from Selby GC; Tony Skingle and David Chalmers (Scarborough South Cliff); Simon Deller and Mike Kent (Scarborough North Cliff); Dave Padgett and Graham Freeman (Pannal); Gary Brown and Daniel Newbold (Ganton); and Anthony Howarth and Allan Ashby (Bridlington).

Just what this 'special provisions' clause entails has raised eyebrows among fans, and it remains to be seen how it will come in to play, perhaps most notably if and when it affects full-time clubs relegated from Super League. But nevertheless the move has been met with general acceptance.

Dixon, who was at the Barrow meeting, told the Evening Press: "The proposal represents a responsible measure designed to underpin the need for financial reality in the management of rugby league clubs and to promote good housekeeping."

He added that was something his club had always adopted: "It is an objective which we embrace at York City Knights."

Commenting on the decision, RFL financial director Nigel Wood said: "While it is clear that excess spending among National League clubs is not quite the problem it was some years ago, there was still a unanimous view that clubs must be regulated and disciplined to live within their means.

"The proposed salary cap regulations are quite complex but, hopefully, they will regulate excess spending and reward those clubs who succeed in developing their businesses on a holistic basis."

The potential penalties for breaching the agreed regulations include fines, point deductions, automatic relegation or the denial of promotion.

Wood added: "The clubs were also clear that they regarded the salary cap as a significant League rule and demanded that the RFL board of directors viewed breaches of it as serious offences."

KNIGHTS chairman Roger Dixon returned from the aforementioned meeting at Barrow in a rather frustrated state.

There was nothing wrong with the meeting itself, but the exhaust on Dixon's car blew on his way back to York.

Let's hope his next trip to the Cumbrian town goes more smoothly - the Knights play at Barrow a week tomorrow.

THE Knights have come to an 'everyone's a winner' agreement with the organisers of the York International 9s.

The prestigious nine-a-side rugby league festival, which will involve teams from all over the world, will take place at Heworth ARLC's Elm Park Way ground on Saturday, June 21 and Sunday 22, and to assist in promoting the event, the Knights are helping to sell tickets - and are getting cash back in return.

Tickets are on sale now from the club office (tel 01904 656105) priced at £10 per person for the two days (children under 12 get free admission), and £5 from each ticket sold by the Knights will be donated back to the club.

Updated: 11:38 Saturday, May 17, 2003