Skipton’s scratch team captain Matt Ryder’s purple patch continued on Sunday when he returned scores of 75 and 70 to take third place in the prestigious 36-hole Bradford Union Amateur Championship.

Ryder, who recently set a new amateur course record at Skipton, only for it to be immediately eclipsed by clubmate Gavin Stocker, followed up his previous day’s level-par 70 in taking the best gross prize in the club’s Professional’s Day Prize Event by taking on the cream of the Bradford Union.

Ryder seemed beset by putting problems in the morning round, missing a host of opportunities, and found himself six strokes adrift at halfway.

Battling on in admirable fashion in the afternoon, he posted a couple of birdies and a final-hole eagle to clinch third prize in some style, but paid a hefty price for an “out-of-bounds” seven at his afternoon’s tenth hole.

Now Matt will be looking to improve on his runners-up tag of two years ago in the matchplay stage.

Of the ten-man Skipton entry, the only other Skipton qualifier was Gareth Aspey who carded 76 and 75, while youngster Michael O’Rourke missed out by one stroke with 76 and 79.

Ryder plays for Bradford on Sunday at Bingley St Ives against Halifax-Huddersfield.