CONSETT'S Mark Ridley is aiming for global glory after securing a place in the Jameson Golf World Champion of Champions final.

Ridley came second in the third of 12 qualifiers at De Vere Slaley Hall having carded an impressive 70 at the Northumberland course.

The County Durham golfer, pipped to first place by William Bowe in a play-off, was not the only North-East man to clinch a place in the final at Woodhall Spa on August 31.

Tyneside's Ricky Lee and Morpeth's Sandy Twynholm finished joint third with rounds of 71, while City of Newcastle's Philip Ridden clinched the final qualifying spot by finishing one shot behind.

The Champion of Champions sees clubs' best players compete in 12 regional qualifiers and the top five from each stage go through to the final. Over 800 are trying to claim one of 60 final places.

l Four more North-East golfers have secured places in the semi-finals of the International Pairs.

Woodhams Graham Bell, an 18-handicapper, and Paul Wade, who plays off 12, beat off the challenge of 21 other pairs to make progress.

And Durham City's Clive Oliphant, a five-handicapper, and Steve Robinson, who plays off 14, also enjoyed success.

The pairs have joined Crook's Tony Clark and Brian Cooper in the battle to clinch a place in the final, held at Cardrona Hotel Golf & Country Club and televised by Sky Sports.

The semi-finals will be played on June 28 at the plush Roxburgh course in Scotland.

l Marjorie Durrant and Sue Ellis have taken their first steps towards competing in the Chrysler Ladies Golf Challenge final. Durrant and Ellis won the two Medal Days at Romanby recently and now all eyes turn to Bedale on May 26 to see which pair will join them in the regional final.

This team of four will then battle it out with other teams for the right to play at the Westin Turnberry course in Scotland.

l Hartlepool's Graeme Storm enjoyed his third best finish of the season at the weekend.

The 25-year-old finished 29th at the Tessali-Metaponto Open di Puglia e Basilicata with his four round total, 286.

It was not all plain sailing for Storm because - having made the cut with a superb second round 65, and seven under par in total - he let things slip in the third round by shooting 78.

That cost him a battle with Swedish winner Leif Westerberg, who ended 12 shots ahead of Storm.

Nevertheless Storm still managed to claim a place in the top 30 - a welcome return to some sort of form having missed the cut in the previous two Challenge Tour events.

He has also finished 22nd in the Panama Masters and tenth in the Abierto Telefonica during a testing campaign, in which his current placing on the tour is 85th.

Ashington's Kenneth Ferrie, meanwhile, will be looking to continue his good form in the SAP Open TPC of Europe at the St Leon course in Germany.