In-form Liam O'Neill led the charge of the young guns to win a weather-ravaged Bradford Amateur Strokeplay Championship.

The 16-year-old from Oakworth coped best with the horrendous conditions at the Bingley St Ives course.

Lightning forced organisers to cut the contest to just one round to ensure the safety of the players.

Some did begin their second round but were forced back by the fierce weather, with the klaxon sounding an abandonment of play.

Pin positions had been adjusted to the highest part of the greens as heavy rain made it the toughest possible challenge for the talented field.

Oakbank student O'Neill was one of the first players to go off at 7.30am, although conditions remained just as difficult throughout, and recorded a superb round of 67 which could not be matched.

Defending champion Adam Sagar was second to his Keighley team-mate, trailing in three shots back, while Bradford's Sam Jewell and Martin Bell (Northcliffe) carded 71s.

West Bradford's Paul Thomas, beaten at a second sudden-death hole by Sagar in a dramatic finale at Keighley last year, was unable to repeat that success this time. He finished with a 72, five shots behind O'Neill.

The top 16 finishers now contest the Bradford Amateur Matchplay side of the competition.

O'Neill's victory comes less than a month after his win in the junior championships at West Bradford, where he became the first player to retain the trophy since Martin Foster in 1970.

He is expected to play in the English Boys Under-16 Championship at Southport & Ainsdale Golf Club tomorrow.

Amateur matchplay draw: L O'Neill (Keighley) v C Goodison (Bradford) at Shipley; R Hillas (Northcliffe) v D Rowley (Shipley) at West Bradford; M Bell (Northcliffe) v D Bairstow (West Bradford) at Skipton; P Thomas (West Bradford) v I Martin (Baildon) at Keighley; A Sagar (Keighley) v James Marshall (Keighley) at Northcliffe; M Parnaby (Bingley St Ives) v N Harker-Bell (Bradford Moor) at Baildon; S Jewell (Bradford) v M Foster (West Bradford) at Hollins Hall; A Brown (Bingley St Ives) v P Young (Hollins Hall) at Woodhall Hills. Matches to be played by July 30.