JUST days after winning the Durham County Championship for the second year in a row, Michael Curry last night revealed a burning desire to turn professional - but needs the funding to do so.

Curry became only the sixth post-war golfer to achieve the delightful double at Hartlepool Golf Club last weekend, when he overcame poor conditions on the challenging course to win by seven shots from Durham's Graham Marchbank.

And, having firmly established himself on the local amateur scene, he has admitted stepping up a level would be the ideal scenario but concedes the expense of such a move is hindering his progress.

Ideally Curry, a member of the Brancepeth Castle club, would love to become a fixture on the EuroPro Tour, which can act as a stepping stone to the Challenge Tour.

But he realises that either a sponsor or funding would have to arrive from somewhere if his dream is going to be fulfilled at some point.

One thing that is on his side, though, is time and at 24 he is not too worked up about his big chance arriving.

"The EuroPro Tour is the most viable option for myself but it's an expensive tour when you consider how much travelling around that has to be done," said Curry, a greenkeeper at the Brancepeth course he plays at.

"I am still young, even if I don't feel it sometimes, and perhaps the opportunity will crop up at some stage. I just have to keep playing as I am and hope there will be a sponsor who comes along and backs me at some stage."

With a supportive family behind him in his hometown of Spennymoor there is no shortage of people urging him on.

His father Geoff followed him around the Hartlepool course over the two days and was proud of his son's performance.

"He did not used to think he was good enough," said the 57-year-old.

"But he has developed that confidence and this amazing win will give him even more.

"For an amateur to step up to the professional ranks is really difficult but if he keeps up this sort of form then you never know what is around the corner."

Twelve months ago Curry cruised to a seven shot triumph over his rivals to lift his first County Championship on his home course.

But, last weekend at Hartlepool, he did not have the luxury of knowing the course so the victory - by the same margin - was even sweeter.

"It hasn't really sunk in yet," said Curry, who is the first golfer to win back-to-back titles since Whickham's Tony McLure in 1999 and 2000.

"I would say this one will be more memorable because I didn't know the links course well.

"I suppose there was a feeling a year ago that I knew the course better than anyone else so I stood a better chance of winning. Nobody can say that this time around. There was nice support for me at Hartlepool as well and it was nice to see."

Now next year, when he will be aiming to be the only person since 1936 to win three County Championships in a row, Curry is aiming to stay in the sort of shape that secured victory this time around.

The triumph of 2005 was best remembered for wearing pink trousers around the Brancepeth greens, this time the only thing a little different about Curry was his size.

"I have lost about two stone in total," said the minus-five handicapper.

"I have been running on the treadmill and I really felt the benefit last weekend. I might have struggled to do four rounds in two days before but this year I felt fine. That's all part of my plan. I knew I had to lose it.

"I want to keep the weight off and that will help me keep on top of my game. I would have loved to have worn some yellow trousers this year but I couldn't fit into them."

A regular on the county team scene for Durham, the football fanatic will miss England's friendly against Jamaica tomorrow as he will be representing Durham against Cumbria at Beamish Park.

But Curry, who was at Wednesday's win over Hungary at Old Trafford, will not let that affect his game and he is also focused on playing in the English Amateur Championship in early August when success would really put his name on the golfing map.

"I am hoping to go to the English Amateur and I would love to go to a few more events around the country but the purse strings are a bit tight," said Curry.

"That's why I would love to receive some financial backing from somewhere and maybe I could give things a go."

* Malton & Norton's Emma Duggleby was left frustrated last weekend when she lost out at the quarter-finals stage of the English Amateur Ladies Championship.

Emma had looked strong up to that stage but, in the end, she failed to overcome Harborne's Felicity Johnson. Cookridge Hall's Kiran Matharu was the eventual winner when she overcame Naomi Edwards of Ganton.