IT has been a busy couple of weekends for the Bradford Golf Union, with high drama and close finishes in both the Amateur Strokeplay Championship and Team Championship.

The former saw a dramatic comeback victory at West Bradford for outsider Andreas Kkais (Shipley), who won by one stroke with a score of 68, while Cleckheaton edged out hosts Bingley St Ives and South Bradford in the latter.

Union president Simon Tabel talked us through both events, starting with the Amateur Strokeplay.

He said: "Andreas hasn't really shown much form in union competitions over the last few years, but a new dedication to the game has seen him start to put scores together.

"He was two over par but then he chipped in from 20 yards or more off the green for an eagle on the 17th, which meant he went to the last hole in contention.

"He didn't actually need a birdie, as he would have won with a par on countback, but he played a nice shot, chipped, then putted and got it anyway.

"Ben Rhodes (Woodhall Hills) came second again, like in the Bradford Open, while Mark Weighman (Manor) had a birdie putt for a 68 on the last but didn't make it."

Andy Town joined Rhodes and Weighman in finishing one stroke behind Kkais, and his Bingley St Ives team suffered a similar fate in the Team Championship, as they scored 222 to Cleckheaton's 221.

But Town and his Bingley teammates were probably not the most frustrated of all.

Tabel explained: "The team who'll be kicking themselves are South Bradford (who also came one stroke behind Cleck).

"They were in contention until the last two or three holes but then someone dropped four shots in the last three holes.

"But the Cleckheaton boys have all round strength and a good squad. I'd actually tipped them as my pre-match favourites."

Discussing the conditions and courses at both events, Tabel said: "As usual on Sundays it seems, both had the wind blowing in the afternoon, like it was for the Bradford Open.

"But both were in great condition. Bingley is as good as you'll get at this time of year. It's a very good course but there is plenty of rough and heather that you have to be wary of.

"Those who kept out of it were always going to triumph in the Team Championship.

"West Bradford is a course we've used a lot over the last couple of years too. Both clubs coped well with hosting."

Asked how tournaments are going in this brave new world, Tabel said: "We're adjusting in lockdown. People are getting used to playing in these conditions.

"It's easy to keep apart on the course too. It's difficult to stay apart in clubhouses but with the restrictions being kept up in there, it's still working okay.

"Even with the local lockdown that's come in in Bradford, there's no reason why golf can't continue in the union like it has been."