HE may have lost his long mane of blond curly hair but Hexham Golf Club’s Matty Lamb has not lost his golfing ability with some stellar performances in the early part of 2014.

This year has started impressively. In the Faldo Series North at Moortown, Lamb, recently turned 16, finished tied winner in the overall Under-21 age group, winning the Under-16 age group to gain qualification for the world final at Greenbrier.

Then in the prestigious Peter McEvoy Trophy at Copt Heath, the England Boys member finished fifth in the 72-hole stroke play event. The highlight of his performance was shooting the low round of the week, a five-under par 66.

And at the Fairhaven Trophy at Lytham St Annes, Lamb finished runner-up shooting a level par total 288 for the 72 holes on the very challenging 7000-yard plus course, finishing four shots clear of third place.

Lamb, currently sitting his GCSEs, said: “I’ve got loads of time and lots of tournaments to play in this season, but my exams come first. I’ve already had to turn down trips with England to Arizona and Germany recently, and I’m also missing my defence of The Henry Cooper Masters due to taking an extra further Maths paper. It will make me even more determined to play well for the middle part of the season.

Lamb will be competing in the British Boys’ Championship at Prestwick and he also enters regional qualifying of The Open Championship for the first time.

CATTERICK amateur Kevin Solly and the club’s PGA professional Alex James are bidding to reach the Lombard Trophy grand final being staged at Gleneagles - just three weeks before Europe and America meet in the Ryder Cup.

Solly teed up a chance to tread the fairways of the King’s Course at the famous Scottish resort on September 3-4 when he won his club qualifying competition with a nett score of 70.

GOLFERS at a leading North-East club got in the swing for the new season by displaying their skills for charity with a successful and popular drive-in event marking the official start of the 2014 golf season.

Members of Brancepeth Castle Golf Club hit the greens and fairways – and the mark – to raise £200 for Guide Dogs for the Blind and the North East Air Ambulance.

And leading the charity charge were new lady captain Marian Goodyear and new club captain Tony Myers, who inspired members from the front.

FOUR northern golfers have booked a place in the Brabazon Trophy at Seaton Carew next month. Thomas Rowland (Prudhoe), Alex Dixon (City of Newcastle), Will Robson (Bellingham) and James Simpson (Whickham) will be there to represent the North-East.

There are 67 exempt players from across the world also playing including Paul Howard (England) winner of 2014 South American Open Championship, Joshua Munn (New Zealand) 2014 New Zealand Amateur Champion, Jamie Savage (Scotland) 2014 Irish Amateur Open Champion & Jordan Smith (England) who will be defending the Brabazon Trophy after winning last year at Formby. There also players from Ireland, Wales, Australia, Denmark, Norway, Hungary & South Africa.