DAVID Horsey maintained his blistering form when he won the Prestbury Open less than a week after his victory in the Cheshire County Championship at Royal Liverpool.

And it put the 20-year-old Styal player in great shape for today's Open Championship regional qualifier over the same course.

The England international, who will represent his country in next month's Czech Amateur, reached the final qualifying at Royal Troon last summer.

This time he's hoping to make it all the way to the first tee at St Andrews when the Open swings into action on July 14.

Horsey cut it fine at Prestbury, getting the verdict after recording the lowest second round score of five-under-par 66 to deny Cheshire team-mates Kevin Kean and Stockport's David Peel, who had matched his aggregate.

The pair had set the pace in the morning with matching 67s with Horsey lagging three shots behind.

But then he rolled in six birdies in his second round to consign Ashton-on-Mersey player Kean to second place as he did at Royal Liverpool.

Meanwhile, Alan Squires warmed up for the Northern Counties Seniors' Championship, which starts at Heswall tomorrow, with a two shot victory in the Wilpshire Trophy.

The 56-year-old Oldham golfer, crowned Lancashire senior champion last month, eclipsed a field containing many players 30 years or so his junior by compiling rounds of 67 and 68.

• ENGLAND'S Kenneth Ferrie, ranked 114th in Europe, emerged victorious from one of the most amazing days in European tour history.
  
  Seven behind with a round to play in the Smurfit European Open at the K Club near Dublin, Ferrie won the £383,330 by two strokes from Graeme Storm and Colin Montgomerie.
  
  But Dane Thomas Bjorn, who was four clear of the field overnight, carded an incredible 14 over 86, including an 11 on the 424-yard 17th, where he went into the River Liffey three times.
  
• CAROL Ryder, a five handicapper from Tytherington, won the Manchester LGA Challenge Cup and Lloyd Jones Trophy at Sale with 64. President's prize went to Pleasington's Jeanette Williams, who carded 66, pipping the host club's Catherine Rawthore by four shots. Tytherington's Frances Sandeman aced the 103-yard 17th.
  
• TONY Ranicar and Barry Crolla homed in on the South East Lancs HA team trophy at Flixton with a bogey score of seven up, one ahead of clubmate Steve Winckle and Mark Prendegast. Flixton also took the team prize on plus 30.
  
  

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