MARK Cook didn't suffer from nerves during last Sunday's 63rd Bradford Open Championship at Keighley.

The Northcliffe member won by two shots from Bingley St Ives' Dane Bairstow, but confessed: "It wasn't until we were walking down the 18th fairway together at the end of the second round and we were comparing scores that I realised I had a chance.

"I was only joint fifth after the first round but some of the lads struggled in the afternoon."

Cook shot two 69s for a level-par 138, whereas runner-up Bairstow returned rounds of 66 and 74 to edge Shipley's Danny Rowley, winner the last time the event was played at Keighley in 2009, into third place on 141 (69, 72).

Although Cook took golf less seriously after his son Edward was born five years ago, this title can be seen as a triumph for persistence for the 43-year-old and has propelled him to the top of the Karl Curran Trophy standings (Telegraph & Argus Golfer of the Year).

He said: "I have been representing Bradford since before Tim Wade was captain, and there aren't many who can say that, but I have been getting some recent help from Yorkshire coach Steve Robinson at Sandburn Hall, near York, and Northcliffe now have a simulator, which I have been using over the winter.

"This meant that when the season started, I was fit and healthy and ahead of schedule."

As for last weekend, Cook, whose previous best was fourth at St Ives in the early 1990s, said: "I didn't play in the Yorkshire Inter-District Union match there the previous Sunday but I did play the course a couple of days before that.

"It was a bit more consistent in the afternoon last Sunday, and I managed to play my two rounds in the sun.

"I was out early in my second round, finishing before the afternoon thunderstorm, although the lads who were coming in said it didn't affect the course.

"I had four birdies on the trot and then a triple bogey on the 13th, where I hit the ball into the trees and it rebounded onto a shale path.

"I thought I could play it from there but it took me three attempts to get onto the green.

"I didn't hole many putts but I didn't miss any silly ones either and generally played steadily.

"The greens were in tip-top condition and I have received many messages of congratulations from family and friends after winning."

Wade said: "I am delighted that Mark has won it and he hit 16 out of 18 greens in the afternoon, while the course played better than the previous Sunday for the Yorkshire Inter-District match.

"There were a lot of scores that were vastly different from one round to another but that is golf and that is the vagaries of strokeplay.

"Some didn't come out for the afternoon round after getting caught in the thunderstorm, which delayed play for 45 minutes, but Terry Brushwood stuck it out."

The Bingley St Ives member shot 68 and 83 for 21st on 151, while Chris Howe (Northcliffe) returned 68 and 75 for fifth on 143 and George Grant (Bradford) 80 and 66 for ninth on 146.

Next year's championship is at Cook's own course of Northcliffe, and he added: "Is it? I might have to play then!"

Bradford Open Championship top ten: 138 Mark Cook (Northcliffe) 69, 69; 140 Dane Bairstow (Bingley St Ives) 66, 74; 141 Danny Rowley (Shipley) 69, 72; 142 Robert Nesbitt (Ilkley) 70, 72; 143 Chris Howe (Northcliffe) 68, 75; 145 Warren Kemp (Bingley St Ives) 74, 71; Jamie Mountain (Shipley) 72, 73; Dale Brook (Clayton) 71, 74; 146 George Grant (Bradford) 80, 66; Mark Weighman (The Manor) 75. 71.

Leading Karl Curran Trophy standings (after the Bradford Open): 1 Mark Cook 38pts, 2 Dane Bairstow 32, 3= Chris Howe, Andy Town 29, 5 Robert Nesbitt 25, 6 Robert Malloy 20, 7= William Whiteoak, Terry Brushwood 17, 9 Danny Rowley 16, 10 Chris Foster 12.

* New Bradford Open champion Mark Cook (Northcliffe), Nigel Colbeck (Cleckheaton) and Rob Hillas (Shipley) have been selected for the Bradford team to face York at Fulford on Sunday in the Yorkshire Inter-District League on Sunday, replacing Chris Foster, John Ellison and Chris Payne.

Bradford team: Dane Bairstow, Terry Brushwood, Jack Laybourne (Bingley St Ives), Andy Busfield, Jack Hall (South Bradford), Nigel Colbeck, Martin Gaffney (Cleckheaton), Mark Cook, James Darcy, Chris Howe, Rob Malloy (Northcliffe), Rob Hillas (Shipley).