Gareth Evans begins his Yorkshire Amateur Championship defence next week insisting: The pressure is off me.

The Northcliffe golfer was only an outsider for the crown last season when he beat more illustrious names to win the county's top inidividual prize at Huddersfield.

But, after following that by winning the county champion of champions' title at Woodhall Spa and then being selected for the England A squad, Evans will be seen as a big name when he tees off at Moortown in this year's event.

"My name is on the trophy so the pressure is off me," said the 27-year-old.

"I have won it before whereas there are others who will really want to win it for the first time."

"I will just treat like any other event and prepare like normal."

Evans had to pull out of this week's British Amateur Championship at Royal Lytham and St Annes due to pain in his lower back which had spread to his arm.

But he is confident he will be fit to tee off in the 36-hole strokeplay qualifying rounds on Tuesday and Wednesday following physiotherapy and rest.

Evans has continued to impress after what was the best season of his life last year.

He won the top individual prize as Yorkshire romped to a 15-shot victory in the Northern Counties six-man team event at Ganton earlier this month, shooting rounds of 73 and 72.

And he came eighth in the Welsh Amateur Championship and a very respectable 25th in the English version at the Forest of Arden.

Not one to rest on his laurels and regarded as the most dedicated of his peers locally, Evans has continued to improve his game.

"I feel I am technically and physically better than last year," said the Wyke-based player, who works under England coach Graham Walker.

"My bunker play is probably 50-60 per cent better than last year in terms of control and flight out of the bunker. My putting has also improved. I spend three or four hours a day practising that."

Evans is under no illusions about how difficult it will be to retain his title.

He believes any of the top 32 qualifiers who go into the matchplay format to be capable of winning the top prize.

"It is a brutal week - draining both mentally and physically," he said.

"I like Moortown and play there quite a lot. It's one of my favourite courses - quite long and usually in good condition and you have to be quite straight."