Levey banking on local knowledge

Jonathan Levey is hoping home advantage will pay dividends when he pegs up in the PGA North Assistants' Challenge at Rockliffe Hall in County Durham on Wednesday.

The 21-year-old takes his place in the 51-strong field in the second of five fixtures in the series knowing that victory could propel him to the top of the Order of Merit.

Levey, who joined Matfen Hall as an assistant a couple of months ago, is lying joint third and 67 points adrift of leader Scott Jackson.

The experienced former GB&I and England international from Stockport club Disley won the first of five ranking events at Ilkley last month and recent form suggests he will be the player to beat.

But with 270 points going to the winner this week, Levey will be looking to dislodge him from his lofty perch.

"I know the course well so that helps but I've also ironed out a few problems with my short game so I'm feeling confident," he said.

Levey, who tied third at Ilkley, only took up golf because he could see the Gosforth course from his family home. "I joined when I was nine," he recalled.

He spent more than two years studying business in North Texas and played for the Frank Phillips College team.

Levey is receiving his PGA training under the tutelage of John Harrison, Matfen's director of golf, and plans to follow in the spike marks of European Tour player Chris Paisley who took a similar route from the Newcastle club.