BISHOP AUCKLAND’S Jessica Hall is still celebrating after receiving a first call-up for England.

Hall, 18, followed up a string of solid results in 2016 with a top 20 finish in the Portuguese amateur where she was the leading English player.

That has helped earn her a call-up to represent her country in the Nations Cup at the Irish Girls Open Stroke Play Championship at Roganstown Golf Club in Dublin on April 7-9.

Hall then received a second call days later informing her that she has been chosen to represent England in the Nations Cup at The Scottish Girls Open Stroke Play Championship at Montrose on April 12-14.

Hall said: “I have worked extremely hard to get this far and I am so pleased my hard work has been recognised.”

CLOSE House, home to the 2017 British Masters, is offering two budding junior golfers a chance to receive a scholarship at the championship venue. An assessment day will be held for candidates on April 11, starting at 10am with skills challenges, the juniors will move onto the Filly Course at 1.30pm for nine holes of play.

The successful candidates, one boy and one girl, will be granted full use of the championship courses, but they will also receive a range card and one lesson per month at Close House’s PGA Golf Academy. The winners will also get to spend time with international tour star and resident professional, Lee Westwood.

Those interested can apply online at www.closehouse.com.

CATTERICK captain Brian de la Haye and Lady Captain Val Pringle celebrated the end of their year in office by presenting the Friarage Hospital MRI Scanner Appeal with a cheque for £2462. The money was raised by holding fund raising events and the generosity of the members.

GOLF scholars at North-East college finished third in a national competition – and got a helping hand from Graeme Storm’s Tour caddy along the way.

Gary Malia, the man on Storm’s bag when he travels the world, walked the Fleetwood course with the Dyke House golfers on the eve of the British Schools’ and Colleges’ Northern Links tournament.

The experience helped, with the Hartlepool centre finishing third behind defending champions Balby Carr.

Ben Bailey earned a fifth place in the Northern Open Individual Gross after shooting 75; eight shy of eventual winner and England international Barclay Brown. Fellow Dyke House student Jack Ainscough was four shots back on 79, with Will Skipp and Briony Bayles part of the five-strong group carding 80s. Skipp was Under-15s gross runner-up.

The youngest player was Seaton Carew’s Jack Burton. He finished third in Individual Nett after shooting 69. Amy Sutheran, from Hartlepool Golf Club, played her part too.