YORK golf ace Simon Dyson started the business round of the Nordea Masters in Sweden in contention for his seventh European Tour crown.

Though Dyson had to settle for a level-par 72 at the Sweden National PGA course yesterday he was still just three shots shy of the lead going into today's third round.

The world number 147 yesterday birdied the first and third holes, but his next breaking of a run of pars yielded three bogeys on holes four, nine and ten.

However, his final birdie of the day on the 11th got him back to level pegging.

Sharing the lead at the midpoint on six-under were Victor Dubuisson of France, Spain’s Alvaro Quiros and Eddie Pepperell of England.

l Pike Hills GC defied a deluge to prevail in the York Union of Golf Clubs’ junior championship.

Union officials reduced the competition at Kirkbymoorside GC to nine holes due to the adverse weather and Pike Hills’ youngsters triumphed with an aggregate of 54 points from the three best scores. They will now represent the York Union at the Inter-District Union event at Willow Valley on July 13, bidding to qualify from there for the England finals at Woodhall Spa in August.

Runners-up on count-back at Kirkbymoorside were Scarthingwell, ahead of The Oaks GC, who both totalled 50 points.

Meanwhile, the time was right for a York golfer after his hole-in-one during a club competition and was rewarded with a limited-edition Boss watch as recognition for the achievement.

Ten-handicapper Gary Wilkins, 54, scored his ace on the 174-yard, par-three sixth at Sandburn Hall GC, in Flaxton, in a midweek stableford.

Fulford GC’s member Paul Harrison won the annual St Leonard’s Hospice tournament on his home course with 42 stableford points, a point ahead of Matt Kelly.

It was the 34th annual event at Fulford and the tournament has now raised £240,000 for the Hospice.