Little more than 18 months after the death of 20-year old Mark Ryder, a special youth tournament was organised and many years on it remains a unique golfing event dedicated to his memory. The Mark Ryder Cup is played for every two years on a home and away basis between the juniors of Tyneside Golf Club and their counterparts from Castlerock Golf Club in Northern Ireland. The match was played this year at Tyneside on Friday 14th and Saturday 15th August.

Mark, who was a member of both clubs, died in August 1991 following a brave battle with cancer.

He was the 1990 Tyneside club champion and had just got his handicap down to scratch in his last competitive outing before his illness.

In 1988, Mark scored a record breaking 65 at Tyneside but sadly the score was not officially recognised for record purposes as work was being carried out on the 7th tee.

His father George said: "Mark began playing golf at the age of nine to ten and like most kids he was pretty good at ball games and the one game he had some talent in was golf.

"He progressed pretty quickly and as far as the background to the Mark Ryder Cup is concerned, whilst on holiday in Spain when Mark was about 12, he played in a competition over three courses and two of the days he played with a gentleman called Jack Wilton.

"On the final night, Jack told me he had really enjoyed playing with Mark and would I allow him to come to Ireland the following year to play golf.