Pride of Britain Jonathan Marwood and Gavin Crusher have returned home victorious from a prestigious international golf match in America.

The North Yorkshire duo were in the British team which defeated their United States counterparts 111-68 in the Transatlantic Team Trophy in Las Vegas.

Both won three of their four matches - three pairs and a singles - to play a major part in wresting the trophy from the grasp of America, who won the event last year.

Marwood, a Physical Education teacher at Easingwold School, said: "We struggled over here with all the courses being closed then to go out there where I've never seen greens so fast, it was scary.

"We both played very well but I wasn't too surprised because I'd been playing well before I went. The best round I played was alternate shots and we lost."

The 24-strong GB team was treated to a luxurious stay in the United States.

As well as playing at the impressive Bali Hai Golf Club, a $56million course based on Augusta, they were put up in a top Las Vegas hotel and treated to a cocktail reception.

"It was brilliant. The Americans made us so welcome," enthused Marwood.

"It was just a case of getting on the bus and turning up. They had our clubs cleaned, shoes cleaned, there was a caddy waiting for us and our names were on the buggies."

To top off the pair's stay, they also won a free trip to the Grand Canyon in a competition organised for the golfers.

York-based Marwood and Crusher, a butcher and part-time fireman from Helmsley, qualified for the British team after winning the regional event of a competition run by a Sunday newspaper.

Updated: 12:11 Tuesday, February 06, 2001