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Tom Usher takes on a putt during the Hawksworth Trophy

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Baildon's Tom Usher is hoping his fourth place finish in the Hawksworth Trophy can lay the platorm for a first ever win on the Yorkshire PGA Order of Merit circuit.

The one handicapper was the top Bradford-based performer in the event won on a play-off by Moortown's Nick McCarthy.

Yorkshire squad player McCarthy beat Rotherham's Sam Heywood at the first extra play-off hole after the pair had finished level on four-under par aggregate scores of 138.

Usher produced one of his best ever finishes on the Yorkshire tour, pipping Moortown's Duncan McCarthy on a second-round countback.

He said: "I'm pretty pleased with fourth. Obviously, I would have liked to have won it but it is early season and I am pleased with a solid finish."

The teenager carded two one-over par rounds of 72, a score he felt he could have slightly improved on going down the home stretch.

"In the second round, I gave myself a lot of opportunities on the back nine but then again, I rescued a few earlier on."

Usher has featured for Yorkshire in early-season friendlies and his aim is clear this year before he jets off to university in America to take up a golf scolarship later this year.

He said: "I want to win one of these events, so this was a nice foundation."

Host club hope Sam Jewell finished just a shot behind Usher with rounds of 73, 72.

The Bradford club's 18-year-old ended in a four-way tie for sixth place along with defending champion Simon Bell (72, 73), South Leeds' David Appleyard (72, 73) and Keighley's Adam Sagar (70, 75).

McCarthy followed up his victory by winning the Cleveland Salver the following day with a course-record 65.

Meanwhile, the focus in the Bradford Union this week turns to the opening fixtures in the West Riding Motor Group Scratch League on Friday night.

And the first big Sunday competition takes place at Branshaw when Baildon will defend their 36-Hole Foursomes Strokeplay crown.

Hawksworth Trophy top finishers: N McCarthy (Moortown) 138, S Haywood 138, M Evans (Rotherham) 140, T Usher (Baildon), D McCarthy (Moortown) 144, S Jewell (Bradford), D Appleyard (South Leeds), S Bell (Baildon), A Sagar (Keighley) 145, R Chilton (Pike Hills) 146, R Broadley (Huddersfield) 147, D Bairstow (West Bradford), A Best (Cleveland) 148, D Rowley (Shipley) J Ellison (Huddersfield), J Walker (Moor Allerton), R Law (Low Laithes) 149.

4:15pm Wednesday 30th April 2008

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