FORMER Durham county champion David Patterson booked his semi-final place in style for the County Match Play Championship at Wynyard.

Patterson had work to do against Wynyard’s Callum Tarren but after edging one up going down the last, the Seaham golfer holed his 75-yard approach to seal the win. Patterson had already overcome Boldon’s Andrew McCarrick and Durham City’s Andrew Bell.

Patterson faces Jordan Bettis in the semi-final on July 26 after he outshone Bishop Auckland’s Jamie Birkbeck, Wynyard's Shaun Goad and Tyneside’s Daniel Beeson.

The other last four battle will see Hartlepool’s Jamie Austwicke face Boldon’s Rhys Thompson.

Thompson defeated schoolboy quarter-finalist Cameron Wallace (Seaton Carew), Robert Moon (Wynyard) and Durham City’s Graham Marchbank. Austwicke overcame Heworth’s Dan Thompson, George Washington’s Imran Aziz and Houghton-le-Spring’s S Foster.

THE North of England Open Amateur Golf Championship will be held at Pannal, Harrogate, between September 30 and October 2.

Launched last year by the Northern Counties Golf Union, this major end of season championship attracted a full field of high quality golfers from around the country.

England A team player Daniel Wasteney (Lindrick) became the proud inaugural winner of the event as heavy rain suddenly decided to sweep over the course on days two and three, forcing the organisers to reduce the championship to 18 holes.

There is handicap limit of 1.4 and the entry fee for the event is £55. The North of England Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship has the backing of England Golf, will be eligible for World Amateur Golf Ranking Points and is the last counting event of the season towards the Titleist Footjoy Order of Merit.

Entry forms may be obtained at http://www.ncgu.co.uk/n-of-e-amateur-championship/entry-form.html

DAVID CLARK has dedicated his first victory since taking over as the Head PGA Professional at Morpeth to the memory of his friend and predecessor, the late Martin Jackson.

Clark battled through rain and wind to set a tournament record with a four-under 64 in the Hadrian Healthcare Pro-Am at boom club Whickham, finishing three shots clear of the field. The 36-year-old took it harder than most when Jackson died a year ago.

“I had my first golf lesson from Martin at the age of ten and he sold me my first set of clubs”, said Clark. “I did my PGA apprenticeship at Morpeth and worked for with him for eight years before becoming a freelance golf pro.

“He was my boss and he became my friend. Sometimes a golf pro and his assistant can work ten-hour days in the shop together so you either get on with each other or you don’t. I enjoyed working with Martin, he was a typically straightforward Yorkshireman. He was honest and straightforward so you always knew where you stood with him and he would do anything for you.”

The Whickham club have announced a waiting list for seven-day membership, having reached their capacity of 450. Whickham were also in the forefront of the North-East Golf MasterKey scheme being introduced this season for six Durham County golf clubs.

This allows members of Beamish Park, Brancepeth Castle, Chester-le-Street, Durham City, Wearside and Whickham to play the other five courses for free during 2014.