A 68 left Ireland's John Kelly in a challenging position after the first day of pre-qualifying for the European Tour School at Manchester yesterday. Kelly is four shots behind the leader, David Lynn, who set a new record of 64.
Kelly, who lives in Blanchardstown and works at The Ward Driving Range, is in joint 12th place with 12 to go through from each course after 54 holes. Jim Carvill had a 70 while Donald MacFarlane is on 72.
At Slaley Hall in Northumberland former Irish champion Gary Murphy and Ballyclare's Stephen Hamill began with one over par 73s. It leaves them three behind the leader Lee Vannet while Niall Manchip took 76 and David Kearney had a disappointing 83.
Philip Parkin, the former Wales Dunhill Cup player, opened his bid to get back on the European Tour with a 73 in the first round of the pre-qualifying tournament at East Sussex National. It leaves Parkin in joint 15th place, four shots behind England's Michael Hearn and Finn Pauli Hughes.
Sweden's Eric Carlberg, currently 116th on the European Challenge Tour, was the surprise leader after the first round of the Tour School pre-qualifying at Five Lakes in Essex. The 22-year-old from Gavle shot a five-under-par 67 to lead by one from Kent amateur Robert McGuirk and Dominique Nouailhac of France.
