ULSTER YOUTHS: Local man Trevor Spence gave himself a major lift before tomorrow's Irish Senior Cup (Ulster Section) semi-final by winning the First Trust Ulster Youths' Championship at Clandeboye.

Spence stormed away with the title, firing final rounds of 71 and 74 for a tournament total of two-under-par 284, leaving him four strokes to spare over playing partner Richard Kilpatrick, with Kilpatrick's Banbridge club colleague, Connor Doran, slotting into third place another two shots back.

Spence (19), had opening rounds of 69 and 68, but reckoned that yesterday's third round level-par-71 was the most important.

"The conditions were very difficult - blustery - and local knowledge was a big help to me," said Spence, who is on a year's break from college. "A bad score then could have put me out of the reckoning. The 71 was good."

The new champion didn't do anything special but mixed birdies with bogeys in both of yesterday's rounds. In the afternoon, he holed from 25 feet for birdie four at the sixth, made a two at the short 11th with a seven-iron to 15 feet, and had another four at the long 15th, reaching the fringe with a three-iron and getting down with two putts.

Former Ulster Boys' champion Kirkpatrick had the misfortune to lose a ball at the 15th hole, but he finished with a birdie.

Meanwhile, Colm Montgomery, who failed to get amongst the honours, had consolation in the fact that he has been called into the Ulster senior team for next week's interprovincials. Debutant Montgomery (Malone) replaces Chris Moriarty, who has withdrawn because of work commitments.

US PGA: Paul McGinley will be up at dawn next Thursday to tee it up among the early starters in the US PGA championship at Hazeltine, Minnesota. The Dubliner goes out with little-known pair Dean Wilson and Carl Paulson.

Padraig Harrington is paired with Mark Calcavecchia and Chris DiMarco, while Darren Clarke is joined by Justin Leonard and Duffy Waldorf.