TIM Seaton dug deep to become Grimsby Golf Club champion after a tough day at Littlecoates Road.

The 36-hole event, played in one day for a trophy originally donated by the Grimsby Telegraph in 1925, was eagerly contested for in its 85th year.

The course had been playing well with fast and smooth putting surfaces for the golfers to enjoy and endure.

The pin placements were carefully selected by the club professional and head green keeper to ensure the competitors were given a fair but demanding test.

After the morning round, the clubhouse leader was Ian Lord (five) with a strong score of 74, including several birdies.

A shot further back was Seaton (two) and Matthew Beckett (five), who had made the long journey from London to participate.

The championship was wide open, with several golfers within a few shots of the leaders.

In the afternoon, Lord made a shaky start, with a triple bogey up the first, but balanced it with a superb birdie to the tricky pin on the 2nd.

Seaton also started his round with a triple but followed this with some consistent scoring to not drop another shot on the outward nine.

Lord and Beckett made the turn a shot further back, so all was to play for.

Seaton again made a rocky start to his back nine, with a drop shot at the 10th, but a great bounce-back birdie at the stroke one 11th hole again brought him back to level.

What could have been a card wrecker for the average player on hole 12, with another triple bogey, could have finished his hunt for the trophy, but he dug deep and his years of experience and competing at the highest level showed through with a strong finish, getting birdies on two of the last four holes to become champion.

Lord came in a shot further back to take second place followed by youngster Jamie Kinnaird, with two rounds of 76, to take third.

The Stephen Cup, played for on the same day, is for the net trophy over 36 holes.

Tim Kirkham shone in the morning round with a net 65 to take a comfortable lead into the afternoon from Lord, net 69, and Sean Carley on 70.

The afternoon round opened up with Tim Taylor leading the way to make it a trio of Tims with 68 net and a combined total of 141, equalled by junior Lloyd Coutts, with a 68 to add to his 73 morning round.

Sean Carley and Lord also finished on a net total of 141 to share the spoils but Kirkham held on bravely to his lead with a net 75 in the afternoon to take top honours with a level par 140.

Michael Davies was victorious in the Tom Redding Rose Bowl competition at Immingham.

The tournament was played off a maximum 24 handicap and Davies won on countback with an exceptional score of 73-16=57.

Second with an equally good score was Robert Bemment with 68-6=62 and third was Dereck Bostock with 86-21=65.

The juniors competed for the Sinclair & Creese Cup when the winner with 79-7=72 was Lee Cardy. Second on 79-5=74 was Michael Gilboy.