Haylock Is The Early Leader In Northamptonshire - 11/04/2007

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TOM Haylock was the early clubhouse leader on the opening day of event five of the PGA EuroPro Tour season at Collingtree Park, Northampton.

Haylock (pictured right), a member of The Hertfordshire Golf Club, battled through two rounds of Qualifying School to secure his place on the Tour but his hard work has paid off.

He produced a round of four-under to gain an early lead, only a week after he had finished in tied fourth at the Macdonald Cardrona in Peebles, Scotland.

Elsewhere, Dean Barnes (Ferndown, Dorset) and Alasdair Hay (Royal Winchester, Hampshire) both scored three-under and are well placed in the race for the £10,000 top prize.

Jason Kelly (Wentworth, Surrey), who finished third at event three at Faithlegg in Ireland and is 12th in the order of merit list, was on course to make the cut again. He hit birdies at the 11th, 15th and 17th but dropped shots at the seventh and 18th, which left him on one-under.

A number of players struggled with the tough course but Daryl Ley registered one of only a handful of eagles with a three at the 602-yard par-five 18th. That kept alive his hopes of making the cut and he will be aiming to better his finish of equal sixth at Wensum Valley, Norfolk earlier in the season.

Each of the 168 competitors will play two rounds with the top 50 plus ties advancing into the third round on Friday.

A dreadful opening hole has left 2004 Tour Champion Simon Lilly (Wellingborough, Northants) in danger of failing to qualify for the final day.

Due to the two-tee start, Lilly, who has European Tour experience and is a regular on the Challenge Tour, began his first round on the tenth hole but immediately fired a triple-bogey seven.

He later secured birdies at the 12th, fourth and ninth but further dropped shots on the 16th, fifth and sixth left him on three-over.

Date posted: May 30, 2007