A FOCUSED Michael Curry could become the first post-war golfer to win three Durham Amateur County Championships in a row this weekend. He remains, however, as cool as the pink trousers he wore on his maiden triumph.
In 2005, as the 25-year-old came from behind to become county champion for the first time at Brancepeth Castle - he did so wearing the outrageous clothing to win a bet with his friends.
But the only thing his colleagues are backing this time around is that Curry, trying to retain the sort of composure that has made him a double-winner, can enter the history books as only the third golfer to win three County Championships in a row.
In the 1930s Ravensworth's Alan Harrison (between 1930-32) and Darlington's John Todd (1933-36) dominated the county scene.
But Curry, who incidentally is a member of the Brancepeth Castle Golf Club where Todd was captain in the mid-60s, has an opportunity to become the first man in 71 years to claim the hat-trick.
But Spennymoor's local hero, knowing he has high hopes of stepping up to the EuroPro Tour at some stage in the next couple of years, is not feeling the strain - yet.
"I am really looking forward to it," said Curry. "I do feel differently going into this year, unlike in previous years. There is more pressure but that's only because I'm putting it on myself to perform.
"I'm thinking about it all the time but this is a great opportunity for me to go down in the history books, etch my name in the record books. A lot could happen but I'm just looking forward to it."
Last year, at Hartlepool, he was followed around the links course by his lucky mascot, his father, Geoff. This year could well be the same.
But, despite feeling confident ahead of this weekend's competition at Durham City Golf Club, he is trying to maintain a semblance of reality.
"It's not a forgone conclusion, far from it," said Curry, a greenkeeper at Brancepeth Castle. "There are plenty of good golfers in this region and anything can happen when you are out there.
"I have as good a chance as anyone of winning it this year and I will be doing everything I possibly can to try and win it again."
After this weekend, Curry has struck up a sponsorship deal that enables him to compete in the British Mid-Amateur Championship later this summer and he will also be heading to Silloth-on-Solway for his first ever Open qualifying.
Chester-le-Street's Craig Walton will be joining Curry after heading a list of qualifiers for the County Championship this Saturday.
Walton carded a 71 at Castle Eden Golf Club to finish one shot clear of Graham Border, who was performing at his own club.
There were 64 qualifiers who progressed in to this weekend's Championship at Durham City, along with the eight automatic players whose performance last year secured their place.
Among the 64, and along with Walton and Border, were South Moor's Ian McEntee (72), Durham's Andrew Bell (73), Bishop Auckland's Graham Milne (74) and South Shields' Stephen Rea (74).
Bedale golfer Mike Henson has taken the first step of what he hopes will develop into a glorious summer, after finishing second in the Northumberland & Durham Open.
Henson, 25, was one of only 12 amateurs in a field of 72 and he came second overall behind Morpeth professional David Clark in the PGA event and is now setting his sights on The Open.
The North Yorkshireman carded a 70 in the morning round at Northumberland Golf Club, Gosforth Park, last weekend before following that up a with a three-under 69 in the afternoon.
And, not content with those heroics, Henson will now head for Pannal, near Harrogate, on July 4 for the regional Open qualifying.
He said: "It shows my career is going in the right direction and it would be a major thing if I could progress through to Open qualifying, I was delighted with how things went in Northumberland."
After Open qualifying, Henson will then turn his attentions to the English Amateur Championship at Sandwich
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