DAVID Cook announced his recent return to the Dorset golf scene in the most emphatic way by winning the county championship for the first time.

The tall, powerful Parkstone left-hander annihilated the opposition on his home course in high temperatures at the weekend to emerge as the county's number one player.

He returned rounds of 68 and 67 for a nine-under-par total of 135 over the 36-hole strokeplay qualifier, beating club colleague David Talbot by seven.

Then he cruised his way into the matchplay final with wins over promising 15-year-old Parkstone junior Dan Smith, who equalled Cook's course record of 65 in a recent junior medal, and the experienced Giles Legg.

Tony Lawrence (Sherborne), who has been the mainstay of the county team for more than a decade, was humbled 6 and 5 in the semi-final.

So it was a major surprise when little-known Ferndown two-handicapper Richard Morris not only reached the final but came so close to causing a major formbook upset.

He qualified in 10th place after rounds of 73 and 75 and then eased past Parkstone's Ben Tice and David Talbot and Canford Magna four-handicapper Daniel Clarke.

Sixteen-year-old Clarke, a pupil at Queen Elizabeth School, Wimborne, enjoyed a fantastic weekend.

He reached the semi-final by beating Tom Harty and county regular Tom Leech on the final green before falling 4 and 3 to Morris.

Anyone expecting a walkover in the final was due for a shock.

The contest was only decided on the fourth extra hole, the 282-yard uphill fourth, when Morris left a putt from the fringe an inch outside the hole and Cook birdied from 12 feet.

The match was refereed by Parkstone's English Golf Union referee John Calver.

He said: "This was one of the finest matchplay finals I have ever seen - the standard was exceptional."

Cook, who became the first Parkstone player to win the title since John Gordon 20 years ago, looked well in control as he continued to log up the birdies.

He was three up after six and was five-under-par after nine.

But Morris showed great fighting spirit. He produced birdies of his own to keep the deficit to three.

Then he drew level by winning the 10th and 15th with birdies as well as the 11th with a par five when Cook dropped a shot.

Cook forged ahead with a birdie at the par-five 17th and both players then missed the green at the par-three 18th.

However, Morris managed to secure a winning par to extend a superb final.

Ben Harvey (Ferndown), 78 73, Rodger Hearn and John Smith (Parkstone) and 15-year-old Jay Coshan (Canford Magna) who shot a superb second round 67 after an opening 84, were among the notable players who failed to qualify for the matchplay.

Parkstone have again qualified to represent Dorset in the national team championships at Sandwell Park in September. The team will be Cook, Talbot and Hearn.