SOUTHAMPTON teenager Mark Bicknell caused a sensation in the Hampshire, Isle of Wight and Channel Islands Golf Championship when he reached yesterday's final at North Hants.

The 17-year-old Stoneham clubman went through as a rank outsider, but there was no fairytale ending for the former Mountbatten schoolboy who lost 5 & 4 to one of the favourites Mark Thistleton from Hayling.

Salisbury's Gary Emerson took advantage of one of his rare starts on the European Tour to finish 22nd in the Diageo Championships at Gleneagles, where Mile Tunnicliff won comfortably by five shots.

Southampton Matt Blackey went into the last day just outside the top 20 but fell back into a tie for 47th place after a final round of 77 in the windy conditions.

Richard Bland (Southampton) moved up the Challenge Tour rankings with an 11th place in the Challenge de Espanana, where he finished 11 under after rounds of 67 69 71 and 70.

Frenchman Phillipe Lima won in a sudden death play off.