Mark Evans signalled his return from a year of self-imposed exile by winning the Bradford amateur strokeplay title for the second time in three years at Northcliffe yesterday.

The 30-year-old former professional footballer won by three strokes from West Bradford clubmate Darryl Berry on five under par 137 after rounds of 70 and 67.

Berry was three shots clear of South Bradford's Karl Curran and a further shot clear of the host club's Andy Town, who had both shot afternoon 69s to push them into the prizelist.

It was a significant win for Evans, who has been going through a bad patch after virtually dropping out of golf altogether because of work commitments last year.

And on the day Colin Montgomerie won his first big tournament for 13 months, Evans revealed he had been boosted by coaching sessions with Bill Ferguson, the man who used to guide the Scot to success on the European Tour.

"I probably only had about five rounds of competitive medal golf last year because I couldn't devote the time to it. It was very frustrating shooting an 80 when I knew I was capable of doing so much better," he said.

"I had a month when I lost two Scratch League games and then lost for Bradford against Leeds in the Yorkshire Inter-Union League and it affected me a lot.

"Little things than can go wrong all did, but I thought 'you can do better than this' and I know that on my day I am a match for anyone.

"I've been having lessons with Bill Ferguson at Starbeck for about three months now and he's been a great help. I'm hitting the ball about 30 yards further now.

"This is about the seventh tournament I've won now so no one can accuse me of being a one-off."

Evans won the same contest at Woodhall Hills two years ago, but bad weather meant the event was abandoned during the second round and his opening 64 counted as the best score of the day.

"I had finished my second round when it was called off and I think someone would have had to shoot something like eight under to have caught me, but it's great to win over 36 holes like this."

Evans, who was a goalkeeper on Bradford City's books for several years, has just retired from football after six seasons with Salts Old Boys in the West Riding County Amateur League.

After trailing Berry by a shot following his first round 70, he started with birdies at the first two holes, only to bogey the third.

He was soon back on track with a birdie at the seventh to reach the turn two under and birdies at the 11th and 14th made him virtually certain of the title barring a sensational round from the later starters.

It didn't happen and Evans was delighted to have won on the course where he used to be a member.

Holder Andy Dufton never looked like becoming the first to retain the title as the Woodhall Hills member followed up his first round 75 with an even worse 77 and even misses out on the matchplay for the top 16.

The cut fell at the best on 152, which meant Cleckheaton's Lee Shepherd just scraped in with a second round 72, but only because Bradford Moor's Martin Foster asked not to be included despite his eighth place on 148.