TWO of the region's amateurs are keeping alive slim hopes of fellow North-East golfer joining Graeme Storm at next week's Open Championship.

Hexham's Ben Taylor and Tyneside's Ricky Lee are the only two golfers in with a realistic chance of claiming one of 12 Carnoustie places up for grabs at Local Qualifying after yesterday's first round.

There are three places up for grabs at each of the four courses in Scotland and Taylor sits three shots off those at Montrose.

At Monifieth, Lee is in a similar position. The Durham County player is sitting tied 20th and is four shots behind the top three places, while he is a further three behind Oxford's Daniel Wood.

Elsewhere, Eaglescliffe pro Graeme Bell was the region's best performer at Downfield, despite shooting two over par.

Dinsdale Spa's Martyn Stubbings offered the North-East's best score at Panmure, even though he could only muster a seven over part total.

DOWNFIELD Par 73: T46 Graeme Bell (Eaglescliffe) 75; T72 James Harper (Seaton Carew) 77; T78 Jonathan Greenwood (Close House) 78.

MONIFIETH Par 71: T20 Ricky Lee (Tyneside) 71; T20 Darren Crowle (Billingham) 71; T45 Ian Parnaby (Ramside) 73.

MONTROSE Par 71: T16 Ben Taylor (Hexham) 71; T37 Rob Dinwiddie (Barnard Castle) 73; T67 Michael Curry (Brancepeth Castle) 76.

PANMURE Par 70: T74 Martyn Stubbings (Dinsdale Spa) 77; T81 Thomas Robinson (The Wynyard) 79; T92 Thomas Curtis (Pannal) 81.