ANDREW BETTS had other things on his mind when he finished as one of the highest North-East players in the Consort Travel Vulcan Trophy.

The assistant professional at Hartlepool Golf Club had just taken his teaching exam for his PGA Diploma at the Belfry before immediately turning his attentions to the tournament.

Betts, in his first competition of the season, admitted he struggled to concentrate at Lindrick in the Trophy but he still managed to make the cut and finish in tied 34th place.

The 26-year-old recorded a 76, five over par, first round score in poor conditions and then his second round 79, eight over, left him 18 shots adrift of Rotherham's Richard Gregory who won his first professional tournament.

However, Gregory and runner-up Christopher Sands were the only two players to shoot below par.

And Betts said: "My aim was to make the cut and I did that but I was still annoyed by the way I played the second round.

"On the first day it was very windy and it caused everyone problems. But the next day I should have done better, I know that.

"I ended up in the trees on the Par 4 tenth and I hit a quadruple bogey.

"That certainly didn't help. But I made the cut and I just want to improve because my long game was not up to what it should be.

"It was difficult because I had just sat my final exam the day before I went to Lindrick and I suppose at the time I had a lot floating around in my head.

"But it was only my first tournament of the season and I'm just looking forward."

Betts will not be playing in another PGA North Region event until the Northern Rock North-East Masters qualifier at Matfen Hall on May 20.

The City of Newcastle's Gary Reynolds enjoyed the best finish of the region's golfers in fifth - eight shots behind Gregory - and he picked up a cheque for £230.

Reynolds followed up his three over par opening round with a 71, level par, final round which included three birdies on the fourth, seventh and 14th holes.

Darlington's Darren Crowle was the only other North-East based golfer to make the second day's play and he finished tied 41st; one shot adrift of Betts.

Crowle finished with a two-round total of 156 and was let down when he hit an 80, nine over, on the final day.

Crowle's club mate Simon Smith, Seaton Carew's Michael Pilgrim, Tynemouth's David Rodham and Castle Eden's Mark Stephenson all missed the cut.

As did Middlesbrough Municipal's Graeme Brass and Stewart Pilgrim, Bedale's Steven Pearce, Catterick's James Schofield, Stressholme's Peter Raine and Middlesbrough's Gordon Cattrell.

* The North-East & North-West Professionals team has been announced for this Sunday's match with the Durham County Golf Union at Tyneside.

The six pro pairs in action will be Matfen's John Harrison & Michael Nesbitt; Eden's Craig Goodfellow & Morpeth's David Clark; Eaglescliffe's Graeme Bell & Hartlepool's Andrew Betts; Gosforth's Graeme Garland & City of Newcastle's Steve Harrison; Hobson's Stuart Ord & Darren Swann; Carlisle's Graham Lisle & Whitburn's David Patterson.