SIMON ROBINSON wants Graeme Storm to help his push to become the latest Hartlepool golfer to make a name on the European Tour.

While Storm has been enjoying his first season back among the continent's best, Wynyard colleague Robinson has been successfully embarking on his maiden campaign as a professional.

Three years may separate the pair in age but the latter has his sights set on joining his fellow Hartlepudlian among the elite sooner rather than later.

Both men have a week off to hone their swings and have been trying to arrange a time to play one another around their Wynyard course.

And Robinson, who recently won back-to-back events on the EuroPro Tour before finishing 20th in the Peugeot International on Friday, hopes to use the time alongside Storm to pick his brains.

"We have been trying to organise a game and I hope we can because I want to get some advice from him," said Robinson, who was World Boys' champion in 1999, the same year Storm got his hands on the British Amateur crown.

"I have followed his progress closely because when I was younger I used to look at what he was doing.

"Now I'm looking to break on to the European Tour so it would be nice to have some tips from Storm. He has had to work hard to get back on to the main Tour so he knows what is required."

Only last year Storm was having to battle away on the Challenge Tour as he went in search of reclaiming the Tour card he lost in 2001.

Although there is a chance of joining Storm next season, Robinson knows he has more of a chance of playing on the Challenge Tour himself come January.

If that is the case the 24-year-old, looking to remain or improve on his third placing in the EuroPro Tour Order of Merit, is more than happy to take that route to the top.

"If I'm still in the top five by August 29 I will not need to go to the first stage of Tour School, where I need to go if I want my main card," said Robinson, who would have to go through all three stages of the School to claim one of the 30 cards.

"That's my aim, though to go on the Challenge Tour next season would also be good for me. It's all about learning at this stage. I'm only one year in as a professional and I'm happy with the way things are going."

It is little wonder. Robinson has earned over £22,000 on the Tour from his ten tournaments, including recent victories in the Oakley International Open and at Suffolk's The Swallow.

Robinson's next port of call is the Cornwall China Fleet course, starting a week today, and he is keen on closing in on Order of Merit leader Aussie John Wade.

"I dropped to third because of my finish last week but I still feel I have done enough to book my place on the Challenge Tour," said Robinson.

"I want to make sure by finishing the season well and earning as much money as I can before the end of October."

* The semi-finals and final of the Harrogate Union Matchplay Championships take place at Masham Golf Club on August 14.

The men's semi-finals are between John Parry (Harrogate) or Kevin Ward (Bedale) v Mark Sherwin (Ripon City) at 9.40 am, and Mark Buckley (Ilkley) v Oliver Shaw (Ilkley) at 9.50 am.

Parry won the Yorkshire Amateur Championship in July and was recently crowned the Danish Open champion.

Ward was the matchplay champion in 2003, while big-hitting Sherwin is a member of the Harrogate Union junior and men's teams. Buckley and Shaw are both members of the all-conquering Ilkley team.

The ladies' final is between Harrogate duo Ruth Scaife, five-times winner of the event, and defending champion Nicola Dunn, 14, an England girls' international.

Published: 11/08/2005