MICHAEL HUNT celebrated the 'perfect finish to the perfect year' in the Ashton Trophy at St Annes Old Links on Sunday.

The 22-year-old Burnley amateur shot two rounds of 72 in the blustering wind to win the Mitsushiba Northern Order of Merit event by two shots.

"It was the perfect finish to the perfect year," said the Harold Ryden champion.

"I have played in seven Northern Order events and I have one first, two fourths and a sixth. I didn't do very well at Pleasington and Rossendale though.

"This year has been better then I could ever have expected," said Hunt, who works in the golf shop at Pleasington.

"Winning the Ryden and the Lancashire Foursomes and getting my handicap to plus two, that was great, especially to do it at a course like Fairhaven.

"I was playing alongside Garry Boardman as well that day, and he has won the Northern Order of Merit title about six times. To get my handicap to plus two when I was playing with him was great."

Hunt is the first Burnley player to achieve a plus two handicap and will soon announce whether he is to turn professional at the end of the year.

"The decision has not been made yet as to whether I am going to turn professional or stay amateur for another year," he said.

"I am just going to relax and work on my fitness over the winter, get Ged (Furey) out there helping me and working on my game.

"It can always be improved. I will work on my short game and try to get some more control over my distances."

In the meantime, Hunt has a Tamsel Tour event at Hesketh next week and a Lancashire 'B' appearance coming up.

He was due to go and watch the Ryder Cup at the Belfry next week and is disappointed that it has been called off.

"I am gutted it has been postponed," he said. "We had a big weekend organised, playing golf, watching golf and relaxing. Now there is no golf to watch but I think I'll go to Wentworth to watch the World Matchplay Championships next month." PLEASINGTON are through to the semi-finals of the Dunham Forest Trophy after beating Dunham Forest in the quarter final.

The five-man team of Andy White, Nick Slade, John Covill, Michael Barratt and Nathan Ward will attempt to win the prestigious trophy at Dunham Forest on Saturday.

Both the semi-final and final will be played on the same day.

Chorlton, Warrington and Stand are also through. Pleasington

in the semis