Ex-England champion Dean is edged out in EuroPro play-off

The former English men’s champion went on to lose a sudden-death play-off for the Dawson and Sanderson Classic to Alsager Golf & Country Club’s Sam Connor, who claimed his first EuroPro Tour title this season and fourth of his career.

Dean, who carded rounds of 71 66 69 – had shown commendable composure to haul himself back into the title hunt after suffering a double-bogey start to his last round.

He retrieved both shots with birdies at five and six and then put himself in red numbers for the day with another at the ninth.

Two more birdies followed at 13 and 17 as he matched the aggregate of Connor, who shot 68 66 72, both men finishing ten under for the week.

The play-off was staged on Longhirst Hall’s 17th hole where Connor canned a 12ft putt to win at the first time of asking.

The win was the second Connor has enjoyed at Longhirst, the first coming in 2015, which was his initial PGA EuroPro Tour title.

Moortown’s Nick McCarthy – who, like Dean, played in last year’s Open Championship at Royal Birkdale – finished tied seventh with scores of 73 68 70.

Consolation for Dean, who bagged his fifth top-10 finish of the season, came in the form of the runner-up cheque for £6,000, which propelled him into third place in the Order of Merit.

The top five at the end of the season will be awarded cards to play on the Challenge Tour in 2019.

Leeds Golf Centre’s Stephen East is the leading Yorkshire contender in the Logan Trophy at Long Ashton with an opening 73, six off the pace.