DEAN Pickard won the ELGA Junior Championship at Rishton yesterday.

The Nelson golfer set the standard early as he was in the fourth group of the day to go out in a field of 73 entrants.

But after posting a gross score of 71, nobody could get near, with Green Haworth's James Law the closest to threatening.

He finished three shots behind the champion with a 74, and Wilpshire's Tom Devine came in third with 75.

Pickard, who played for the ELGA representative team against Fylde at Fleetwood the day before, is Nelson's first winner since Craig Fort won back to back titles in 1987 and 1988.

There was home success for Jason Sharples, who also finished well ahead of his rivals in clinching the net prize with 82-20=62.

He was five shots ahead of Aiden Riley of Burnley, who fired 87-20=67 to edge a card play-off from Accrington's Sam Hindle (76-9=67).

ELGA president Dave France was delighted with the event. He said: "The course was in excellent condition, we had good weather and a big turn-out.

"Dean won it well by three shots but the standard of golf overall was good."

The event was sponsored by Audi of Blackburn.