DURHAM Union were just edged out in a topsy turvy county match against neighbours Yorkshire.

Middlesbrough’s Michael Hay was the only representative in the Yorkshire side at Hornsea GC to hail from the North-East. He won his singles game against Tyneside’s Kris Rae 4&3.

Durham’s singles wins came from Castle Eden’s Ryan Dixon, Bishop Auckland’s Jamie Birkbeck, South Moor’s Chris Handy and Tyneside’s James Wilson.

It was the singles were Yorkshire just edged over the line to seal a 6.5 to 5.5 victory because the match was all square after three foursomes wins each.

Durham’s wins in the foursomes were delivered by Rae and South Shields’ Martin McCririck (2&1), Dixon and Bishop Auckland’s Stefan Labuschagne 3 & 2 and Castle Eden’s Stuart Brown and Bishop Auckland’s Michael Henson 2 & 1. Those though were not enough to prevent defeat.

GOLF fans from across the North-East are being urged to head for Leeds next week for the Senior Masters.

Following the success of last year’s tournament at Leeds Golf Centre, the Senior Masters is heading back to Yorkshire for a second year on June 26-28.

A Pro-Am is taking place on June 26, 9-2pm, when teams of three will play alongside some of the top players in the senior game, including Ryder Cup legend Gordon Brand, European Tour winners Andrew Sherborne and Paul Affleck, Senior Tour veteran, Brendan McGovern and seven-times winner on tour and Ryder Cup player, Philip Walton. New faces will include golfing legends such as Paul Streeter, David Shacklady, Gary Wolstrenholme and Gary Emerson.

The Senior Masters Tour is the home of regular tournaments for golf professionals and aims to help and promote the senior professional circuit outside of the European Senior Tour. Leeds GC is aiming to give senior golfers the opportunity to play in a full field of 72 for the main event.

Nigel Sweet, the operations manager, joined the senior circuit for the first time in 2016 after playing the game for 38 years and set up the Senior Masters at Leeds Golf Centre in 2017.

Sweet said: “Last year was a huge success and the standard of competition was fantastic. The Senior Masters was a platform to welcome golfing legends, including Mark Booth, Andrew Oldcorn and Peter Baker on to the course at Leeds Golf Centre.

“We’re thrilled to be hosting this incredible tournament for the second year running and are looking for sponsors to support the competition and the prize pot to make 2018 even better than 2017.”

Contact Nigel Sweet at Leeds Golf Centre on 0113 288 6000 or nigel@leedsgolfcentre.com for further details.