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Pullan is hoping to repeat his Open feats
SEVENTEEN years ago Stephen Pullan, then one of Yorkshire's leading amateurs, qualified for the Open Championship at Muirfield.
Pullan was the envy of many when he played a practice round with Sir Nick Faldo who went on to win his second title.
Pullan, from Leeds, had his twin Mark, who reached international heights as an amateur, on his bag and they narrowly missed the cut by two shots.
But with rounds of 74 71, Stephen ended on the same mark as Seve Ballesteros and ahead of other big names.
Stephen – he and Mark later turned professional – aims to recapture those days in the spotlight next Wednesday, when the arduous road of gaining places in the Open starts.
Hundreds of players will take part in regional qualifying stages played at 16 venues around the country.
Pullan is one of 65 Yorkshire players in a field of 99 at Alwodley while 31 other Yorkshire players make bids at Lindrick with several others allocated other courses.
He said: "I don't play a lot of tournament golf these days but you never know. I'll be trying hard."
The target is to gain one of maybe a dozen qualifying spots – the exact number is yet to be decided – then comes the real test at the final qualifying stage at Glasgow Gailes, Barassie and Western Gailes on July 6-7.
Somewhat ridiculously, regional qualifying clashes with the week-long Yorkshire Amateur, which gets under way at Pannal the previous day, Tuesday.
In their wisdom, the R and A have advanced the date of regional qualifying this year.
It left some leading amateurs in a quandary. Walker Cup squad member Steve Uzzell would have been a favourite for the Yorkshire Amateur but the Hornsea left-hander has plumped for an Open bid and is first off, at 7am, at Lindrick.
Meanwhile, Yorkshire's hopes of regaining the English County championship were dashed when they missed out in the EGU Northern Counties Championship at Seascale.
The six-man team finished third behind Cumbria and Cheshire with last year's winners and English champions Lancashire trailing in last after one of their six made a no return.
RESULT:851 – Cumbria; 856 – Cheshire; 867 – Yorkshire (S Uzzell 70 74, S Haywood 68 74, A Best 73 75, J Smedley 75 70, S Campbell 69 73, G Evans 70 76); 876 – Durham; 888 – Northumberland; 908 – Isle of Man; DNQ – Lancashire.
Elsewhere, Bob Wallace, a former Huddersfield Town footballer, won the Yorkshire Seniors title at Harrogate (Starbeck) where bad weather forced the championship to be decided over 18 holes.
Wallace, from Crosland Heath, shot 70 to win by one from another Huddersfield man, John Oxley of Fixby Hall.
Defending champion Mike Kelley finished back in 12th place on 75.
York University student James Coldwell won the Pannal Rose Bowl, an Eagle Golf-Yorkshire Order of Merit event, with a six under par 138. The Knaresborough player finished four shots clear of the field.
Leading scores:138 – J Coldwell (Knaresborough) 68 70.
142 – M Edmiston (Oakdale) 69 73. 143 – J Gulliver (Phoenix) 73 70, M Killen (Cottingham) 73 70. 144 – S Brennan (Wheatley) 75 69. 145 – N Sweet (Moortown) 75 70, M Henson (Oakdale) 72 73, M Brown (Pike Hills) 72 73, 146 – S East (Moortown) 75 71, B Downing (Hallamshire) 73 73.
Finally, Jimmy Pape, the Yorkshire PGA secretary and tournament controller, has been moved up to the ranking of Fellow of the PGA.
Pape, who had held Advanced Professional status, has been a PGA member for 45 years. He turned professional in 1964 as an assistant at Scarcroft.
Following a spell away from club life during which he took over the running of the county PGA, he served for 17 years as the professional at Roundhay.
A Yorkshire representative at the PGA North Region, he retired from Roundhay last year but still heads the Yorkshire PGA and has an attachment at Garforth Driving Range.
Results
Leeds Scratch League: Div 1: Howley Hall 6, Wike Ridge 0; Normanton 2, Wakefield 4; Pontefract 3, Selby 3. Div 2: Scarcroft 5, Horsforth 1; Cookridge Hall 3, Sand Moor 3; Moor Allerton v South Leeds – ppd. Div 3: Barnsley 3, Waterton Park 3; Leeds 4, Temple Newsam 2; Low Laithes 6, Mid Yorkshire 0. Div 4: City of Wakefield 0, Woolley Park 6; Middleton Park 4, Gotts Park 2; Wetherby 6, Roundhay 0.
Leeds Net League: Div A: Barnsley 4, Selby 2; Horsforth 5, Scarcfroft 1; Mid Yorkshire 5, Sand Moor 1. Div B: Howley Hall 4, Waterton Park 2; Temple Newsam 6, South Leeds 0; Moor Allerton v Low Laithes postponed. Div C: Cookrfidge Hall 3, Wakefield 3; Headingley 3, Gotts Park 3; Wetherby 4, Woolley Park 2. Div D: City of Wakefield 3, Wike Ridge 3; Normanton 4, Roundhay 2; Leeds 6, Whitwood 0. 142 – M Edmiston (Oakdale) 69 73. 143 – J Gulliver (Phoenix) 73 70, M Killen (Cottingham) 73 70. 144 – S Brennan (Wheatley) 75 69. 145 – N Sweet (Moortown) 75 70, M Henson (Oakdale) 72 73, M Brown (Pike Hills) 72 73, 146 – S East (Moortown) 75 71, B Downing (Hallamshire) 73 73.
Finally, Jimmy Pape, the Yorkshire PGA secretary and tournament controller, has been moved up to the ranking of Fellow of the PGA.
Pape, who had held Advanced Professional status, has been a PGA member for 45 years. He turned professional in 1964 as an assistant at Scarcroft.
Following a spell away from club life during which he took over the running of the county PGA, he served for 17 years as the professional at Roundhay.
A Yorkshire representative at the PGA North Region, he retired from Roundhay last year but still heads the Yorkshire PGA and has an attachment at Garforth Driving Range.
Results
Leeds Scratch League: Div 1: Howley Hall 6, Wike Ridge 0; Normanton 2, Wakefield 4; Pontefract 3, Selby 3. Div 2: Scarcroft 5, Horsforth 1; Cookridge Hall 3, Sand Moor 3; Moor Allerton v South Leeds – ppd. Div 3: Barnsley 3, Waterton Park 3; Leeds 4, Temple Newsam 2; Low Laithes 6, Mid Yorkshire 0. Div 4: City of Wakefield 0, Woolley Park 6; Middleton Park 4, Gotts Park 2; Wetherby 6, Roundhay 0.
Leeds Net League: Div A: Barnsley 4, Selby 2; Horsforth 5, Scarcfroft 1; Mid Yorkshire 5, Sand Moor 1. Div B: Howley Hall 4, Waterton Park 2; Temple Newsam 6, South Leeds 0; Moor Allerton v Low Laithes postponed. Div C: Cookrfidge Hall 3, Wakefield 3; Headingley 3, Gotts Park 3; Wetherby 4, Woolley Park 2. Div D: City of Wakefield 3, Wike Ridge 3; Normanton 4, Roundhay 2; Leeds 6, Whitwood 0.
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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