Yorkshire golf: Jake Sowden adds Yorkshire Amateur crown to English title

The championships were played over four rounds and three days at Ganton, near Scarborough.

Sowden was level after 72 holes of strokeplay on +9, having started the final round four shots adrift of Bailey Hird of Cookridge Hall, the man he would go on to beat in the play-off, prevailing on the third sudden-death hole.

Nathan Ali, another Cookridge Hall amateur, shot a final-round 68 to rise into a tie for third on +11 with Oliver Caton of Crosland Heath, who had started the day alongside Hird at the top of the leaderboard.

Victory in the Yorkshire Amateur continues a fine summer for Sowden, who just last month overturned a three-shot deficit to win the English U25s Championship at Woburn.

Luke Thornton of Hessle Golf Club claimed the Alvin Trophy for the leading Under-18s player.

Jonathan Plaxton, secretary of the Yorkshire Union of Golf Clubs, said: “Ganton is always a great test of golfing skills but given this week’s high winds, it proved to be even more so.

"Par is misleading. Whereas par was 71, the course rating was 73, plus an adjustment of three, so 76 in reality.

“If you compare the scores to that, it better reflects the actual performances.

"We had 147 competitors from across Yorkshire who provided excellent feedback.

"Either player in the play-off would have been a worthy champion but it is Jake who goes to Woodhall Spa next month to represent Yorkshire in the England Golf nationals.

"We wish him well.”