BRADFORD could only finish sixth out of eighth teams in the Yorkshire Inter-District Union Team Championship – despite playing on a home course at Bingley St Ives.

Captain Tim Wade confessed: "I don't know what we were doing at times. But it doesn't help when Dane Bairstow took a seven on the first hole first out in the morning.

"Our course management left a little bit to be desired – but we were equal third at lunchtime, only to fall away in the afternoon.

"Mind you, if you look at the handicaps of our players compared to York and Sheffield, we were strokes behind.

"Matt Evans was outstanding with his 135 for Sheffield (68, 67 for the best-36 hole return). But Andy Town played well for us in the morning for a 72 and Rob Malloy likewise in the afternoon for a 72. Both were under par at one stage, only to finish one over."

York won on 880, with Sheffield finishing four shots back and Leeds a distant third on 897.

Harrogate were fourth on 904, followed by Halifax-Huddersfield (909), Bradford (916), Teesside (929) and East Riding (930).

Bradford scores: Dane Bairstow 74, 77; Rob Malloy 78, 72; Rob Hillas 75, 78; Chris Howe 76, 77; Nigel Colbeck 76, 84; Andy Town 72. 77.

* Karl Curran Trophy (latest standings): 1 Dane Bairstow (Bingley St Ives) 62pts, 2 Andy Town (Bingley St Ives) 59, 3 Chris Howe (Northcliffe) 55, 4 Rob Malloy (Northcliffe) 48, 5 Mark Cook (Northcliffe) 46, 6 Rob Hillas (Shipley) 35, 7 Terry Brushwood (Bingley St Ives) 32, 8 Rob Nesbitt (Ghyll) 30, 9 Mark Weighman (The Manor) 30, 10 Andy Busfield (South Bradford) 28.

* John Freeman, a 13-handicapper from Brighouse club Willow Valley, was an emphatic winner of the England Golf senior men's North tournament at Harrogate.

He returned 74 points (39, 35) to triumph by six strokes, one better than women's winner Alex Mournian (Norfolk).

Freeman, who was thwarted by the weather in a previous attempt at Pannal, recalled: "I had told myself that you can't win it in the first round but you can lose it, so play nice and steady.

"I got 37 points and was two or three back, nicely placed – but the second round was washed out. It proved to me that you can win it in the first round.

"So this time I set heart on winning it this time and tried to get a good score in the first round."

Freeman, who gave up the game for 14 years because of arthritis, now has a new hip and a new knee and made a perfect start, birdieing the first and then playing steadily over the two rounds.

OTHER RESULTS

Bradford Union Seniors' & Veterans' Championship (Shipley): 1 Kevin McGuinness (13, Shipley) 37pts, 2 Keith Airey (5, Skipton) 37, 3 Kiu Ho (14, Woodhall Hills) 36.

EAST BIERLEY LADIES – Autumn Medal: 1 Jackie Barraclough (5) 72 nett, 2 Katie Barraclough (5) 75 nett.