John Spagnuolo looks to have timed his form perfectly as he leads the penultimate PGA EuroPro Tour event of the season by one stroke after the opening round at Hunley Hall in Saltburn.
Spagnuolo (The Sports Academy) started the Integral Collection Classic five places outside the top 60 places on the Order of Merit, but a four-under par round of 68 sees him lead after day one.
Only the top 60 will make it to the 888poker.com Tour Championship at Mar Menor in Murcia in Spain next month, and Spagnuolo gave his chances a huge boost by kicking off on the back nine with three birdies through his first six holes.
A dropped shot at the seventh halted his charge, but he roared down his back nine with birdies at four, six and seven before a bogey at the ninth and last took the gloss off an otherwise great day.
Steve Uzzell is just on the right side of the top 60 in 54th spot and he trails Spagnuolo by one stroke after an eagle on par-five third helped him fire a round of 69. Uzzell (Hornsea Golf Club) is joined in a tie for second spot by Shaun Mills (Orsett GC) who picked up three birdies on his back nine to post his three-under par round.
A grandstand finish for Duncan McCarthy sees him head a pack of six players at two-under par. McCarthy (Moortown GC) looked to be heading for a two-over round after 15 holes on the opening day, but a brilliant birdie-eagle-birdie finish sees him right in the mix.
American Dodge Kenner had the same run from the second hole - his 11th - to shoot 70, while Kevin Harper (East Devon Golf Club) and Jon White (Saunton Golf Club) both picked up four birdies in their two-under par rounds.
A double-bogey five at the 13th robbed Toby Burden of a four-under par round and Michael Hempstock completes the sextet at two-under par.
Order of Merit leader Chris Hanson (Woodsome Hall Golf Club) was level par going into the final three holes but a double-bogey, birdie and bogey to the 18th saw the winner of three tournaments on this year's tour finish on two-over par.
* The second round of the Integral Collection Classic at Hunley Hall in North Yorkshire begins at 7.30am with live scoring available at EuroProTour.com
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