Pilkington on the mark again

Mark Pilkington continued his impressive form when he won the PGA North Assistants' Championship for the Sue Wright Trophy at Helsby.

The former Welsh Amateur champion, who topped the Challenge Tour rankings in 2006 having also spent six years on the main circuit, was the only man to beat par with a two-under 68.

Bangor-born Pilkington, 38, who is in his second season as a PGA assistant at Pwllheli, rolled in a birdie on each loop and a lone bogey at the tough 17th to finish two ahead of five players. 

Among them was Chorley's Andrew Palmer, left to rue a double bogey at the penultimate hole, while Ashton-on-Mersey's Oliver Smith leaked a shot on the last.

In the same group were North Easterners Jonathan Richardson, from Hexham; Bedlingtonshire's Matthew Webb and Yorkshire's Henry Taylor, from Scarcroft. 

Pilkington also won the PGA North Assistants' Champion of Lancashire at Bolton Old Links, was runner-up in the Yorkshire version of the series at Northcliffe and shared second place in the Cheshire one at High Legh Park. 

With two events remaining, he leads by 275 points in the Druh Belt & Buckles Order of Merit from Heswall's Jason Dransfield who was among five players on 71 at Helsby.