HESSLE'S Paul Lockwood stormed to victory in the East Riding Alliance Championship at Ganton.
He was four shots behind the leading score after the morning round, but a dazzling 67 afternoon effort sealed the title.
Lockwood beat event favourite and his coach, home club pro Gary Brown, who was looking to repeat his win when it was last played at the club 20 years ago.
All appeared to be going according to plan for Brown when he posted a three-under-par morning round of 69.
Leading the chasing pack at lunch was Malton & Norton's Chris Halley (+1) on 71, with past winner Nick Ludwell (Selby) on 72.
An undoubted star of the morning round was Filey's Jamie Gregory (5), a regular in the East Riding Union's under-18s team, who returned an impressive 73, a score equalled by Lockwood (+3).
Other players in with a chance of having a say after the morning round were Hornsea professional David Close on 74, David Jackson (Beverley) on 75 and defending champion Mat Daley (Hainsworth Park), Michael Helyard (Beverley), Steve Robins (Hull) and professional Michael Brooks (Malton and Norton) all on 76.
With the intermittent rain continuing into the afternoon, few players were able to improve on their morning scores.
Brown and Ludwell were first out after lunch and they were soon trading shots, with the Selby professional striving to make up the three-shot morning shortfall.
In the end, after 36 holes, just two shots separated the pair with Brown adding a 73 to his 69 for 142 and Ludwell posting 71 for 143.
With more than half the 72-strong field back in the clubhouse it looked as if Brown would win, until Lockwood returned a five-under-par 67 for 140 and a two-shot winning lead.
Having had "a cold putter in the morning" things very much turned around for Lockwood in the afternoon with three birdies apiece on the front and back nines.
He even had the luxury of a three putt on the 18th, his only dropped shot of the second round.
Whilst Halley fell away with a 75, Helyard, with a 72, and Daley, with a 74, both improved on their first round efforts, but could not challenge Lockwood, whose stunning afternoon round was indeed champion golf.
Lockwood said: "I struck the ball pretty well all day.
"The six shot difference between the two rounds was that my putter warmed up in the afternoon.
"It is a very pleasing win, especially finishing in front of two experienced pros like Gary and Nick. A lot of the progress I've made in golf is down to Gary's coaching."
36 hole Gross Scores: P. Lockwood (Hessle) 140 (73/69), G. Brown (Ganton) 142 (69/73), N. Ludwell (Selby) 143 (72/71), C. Halley (Malton & Norton) 146 (71/75), M. Helyard (Beverley) 148 (76/72), D. Close (Hornsea) 149 (74/75), M. Daley (Hainsworth Park) 150 )76/74), S. Robins (Hull) 153 (76/77), J.R.L. Brown (Malton & Norton) 154 (79/75), R. Wardle (Selby) 154 (77/77).
36 hole Nett Scores: 147 R.M. Brown (Hornsea) (75/72), J. Gregory (Filey) (68/79).
Assistant's Champion: D. Woodhead (Hessle) 155 (80/75).
