YORK'S top golfer Jamie Miller takes the first step in his new career as a professional next week when he competes in the pre-qualifying competition of the British Master Card Tour at Wynyard Hall, near Middlesbrough.

Miller, the 25-year-old York Amateur champion, plays on Tuesday and Wednesday and the top qualifiers then go on to the final qualifying competition at Hawkstone Park from April 14-17.

"I have wanted to be a professional for the last seven years and have had three attempts at trying to qualify for the PGA European Tour. Although I failed I am still determined to try to get to the top level and next week in the first step along that road," said Miller.

The Fulford player got on to the Challenge Tour, second only to the European Tour, by virtue of his finishing position last November in the final qualifier at Emporda and San Roque.

"If I finish in the top 15 of the Challenge Tour I will automatically get on to the European Tour in 1999, so that has to be my immediate aim. A first three placing on the Master Card Tour gets you an invitation to the Mauritius Open on the European Tour so that is another target for me," added Miller, who qualified for the Open Championship at Troon last year.

Later this month, Miller plays a Hippo Tour event at Portal in Cheshire and his first Challenge Tour tournament is at the moment scheduled for Venice in May, but Miller could make a change to his programme and enter for the Canaries Challenge at Las Palmas, Gran Canaria from April 30 to May 3.

Miller added "one good thing you get out of turning pro is that you have to play off scratch. Last year I was off plus two, so now I am two strokes better off!"MALTON AND NORTON player Jill McKendry achieved a hole-in-one when playing in a ladies fourball.

A 13-handicapper, she scored her ace on the fourth hole of the Welham course using a six iron. Her parents, Frank and Val Mckendry, have both had holes in one, so they now form a pretty exclusive family club.

An ace was also achieve by David Barker at Kilnwick Percy, using a six iron off the yellow tee on the 159-yard 15th, known as the Hare Hop.Playing partner Shah Wright watched as the ball landed on the left of the green and rolled steadily into the hole.

Kilnwick Percy's three captains - Ian Wallace, Iona Buckle and Ben Donkin - have been installed in office.

Captains' Day was run in conjunction with a Texas Scramble. The best net in the first division, 62, was won by Graham Martin, Philip Curtis, M Gatenby and Neil Stephenson.

Best net in the second division was achieved by Jim Baldwin, Mal Johnson, Andrew Thompson and Matthew Burrows with 54.KNARESBOROUGH enjoyed a solid 3-1 away win over Moor Allerton in the second round of the Mail On Sunday National Golf Classic. Knaresborough were represented by Mark Thompson, Gerald Marsden, Mark Hanslow and Andrew Yarrow.DAVID Snaith won Fulford Golf Club's annual winter Social Cup competition after a close finish.

He totalled 170 stableford points over the four best rounds out of seven eligible rounds, the same score as John Taylor but Snaith won for his best round was 48 to Taylor's 47. Keith Towers was third, one point behind.

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