EAST GOES NORTH TO SEEK LOGAN HAT-TRICK

Stephen East (Moortown) will seek to complete a hat trick of Logan Trophy victories when he takes on the rest of the 112-strong field in the English Open Mid-Amateur Championship at Ponteland, Northumberland, on 25-27 August.

East, the 41-year old Yorkshire captain, carried off the title for the first time in 1998 at Broadstone in Dorset, when he pipped county colleague Richard Jones by a shot.

Last year at Little Aston, East came from two shots back to retain the Championship, finishing two strokes clear of Dominic Jessup (Northampton), Jim Feeney (Chapel-en-le-Frith) and the then reigning English Seniors champion David Lane.

Lane, who lost his Seniors crown to Roy Smethurst at Moor Park in June, will be making the long trek from his Oxfordshire base, determined to go one better than last year and win a title that has, so far, eluded his grasp.

East, who reached the third round of the English Amateur Championship at Royal Lytham last week only to lose to defending champion and eventual winner Paul Casey at the final hole, will not only face opposition from Lane but also from a large group of golfers based in the north east.

Harry Ashby (Consett), double English Amateur Champion, is also in the finals as is Ian Hornsby (Ponteland), an ex-Scottish Seniors Champion, Shaun Philipson (Prodhoe), who played in the winning England side in the 1997 Home Internationals, is another to watch, as is Robert Sallis (Hollinwell), joint second in this year’s European Mid-Amateur at his home club.

Former England International Roger Roper (Catterick), fourth in the European at Hollinwell and a regular high finisher in many competitions, is another entrant, as is Jon Marks (Woodbridge), English Seniors champion in 1998 at Saunton.

Charlie Banks (Stanton-on-the-Wolds), who already has three Logan trophy successes under his belt, could come out on top again. He won in 1995 at Seacroft, 1996 at Pannal, and 1997 at Stockport and shouldn’t be dismissed from completing a fourth success.

There will be a cut after 36 holes, the leading 45 players and ties going forward to the final 18 holes