Hexham and Durham City will represent Northumberland and Durham respectively in England Golf’s men’s Champion Club event at Lilly Brook.
Hexham will be part of the event for a second year in a row after winning the Northumberland qualifier at Newcastle United.
The team of Morgan Blythe (76-70), Sean Heads (76-72) and Junior Dobson (69-73) edged out the host club – represented by Mark Wharton, Cameron Stott and Michael Burrow – with a better second-round total as the teams tied on four over-par totals of 436.
In the Durham qualifying event at Boldon, Durham City – represented by James Glenn (68-68), Jack Richardson (71-70) and Graeme Marchbank (74-77) – pipped Castle Eden – represented by Chris Brown, Thomas Harbord and Sean Huntington – on countback to book their place in the national final as both teams posted two-round totals of 428. Durham City progressed by virtue of the best two 36-hole gross scores after both teams posted a first-round team total of 213 and tied again in the second round on 215.
The best individual score at Boldon came from Consett’s John Kennedy (70-65).
Meanwhile, in the second division of the Northumberland event, played over 18 holes, Longhirst Hall – represented by Neil Graham, David Chambers and David Gilroy – led the field, beating Dunstanburgh Castle by a single shot. Newcastle United’s Mark Wharton led the individual scoring with a two-round total of 141 in division one as Newbiggin’s Craig Penny picked up individual honours in division two with a round of 70.
