Darryl Berry carries the Bradford area hopes of having local interest in the Open Championship at Royal Lytham next week.

The West Bradford 22-year-old plays in Sunday and Monday's qualifying rounds on the nearby courses after shooting a two under par 70 earlier this week at Little Aston to qualify.

It is the third year in a row he has made it to the final qualifying stage and he will be hoping it is third time lucky after failing twice in Scotland - at Moncrieff in 1999 and Scotscraig in 2000.

Darryl was able to team up with his older brother Damion, who is now living in Staffordshire, when he played at the Little Aston course near Sutton Coldfield. Damion, a former West Bradford member, caddied for him during the regional qualifier.

Darryl's reward for getting through was a place at the St Annes Old Links course and he admitted: "That was the one I was hoping for if I got through. There are five courses there, but I have played the Old Links course a few times and I am pleased to be playing there again.

"I chose to play at Little Aston because the alternative was Alwoodley and up to the Yorkshire amateur championship last week I had never played there before.

"I am now up to plus two handicap, so things are going very well for me."

Darryl is mounting a serious challenge for the Yorkshire Order of Merit title this year and currently lies in second place behind Neil Smith, from Heworth.

Berry has 555 points and Sweet 610. T&A golfer of the year Gareth Evans (Northcliffe) is currently fifth on 405 points.

As a result of his Open engagement Darryl misses out on Yorkshire's Northern Counties League match with Cheshire at Ilkley on Saturday and Bradford Union's trip to play East Riding in a crucial Yorkshire League fixture at Brough on Sunday.