Barry Hume leads Open

qualifying halfway

at West Lancs venue

FROM THE R&A WEBSITE

Former Walker Cup player Jamie Elson enjoyed an unexpected bonus on Hillside's par-3 seventh today - a hole-in-one which took him to four under par, and set him up for a round of 67 that puts him in a great position to qualify for The Open.

Elson, who played in the 2001 Walker Cup team alongside the likes of Luke Donald, Nick Dougherty and Graeme McDowell, enjoyed some initial success after turning pro in 2003, but failed to establish himself on the European Tour and currently plies his trade on the Europro Tour.

As for that ace, it came with a six-iron on the 170yd seventh hole. "It was the perfect shot," he said of his fourth ace. "It landed about 20ft short and just rolled straight in.

"I've put myself through qualification many times but have never succeeded," he continued. "This gives me a great chance tomorrow."

Across the railway tracks at Southport & Ainsdale it was an amateur golfer, Australia's Scott Arnold, who was producing fireworks. He used an eagle on the second hole to springboard himself to an incredible outward half of 31 shots, and though he came home in level par he remains three clear of his nearest rival, Francis McGuirk, with just a handful of players yet to complete their rounds.

Arnold has been in good form this year, and despite being knocked out in the first match play round of the Amateur Championship at Turnberry, the Australian is currently ranked 56th best amateur in the world.

Across at the third West Lancs golf it has been a tougher, tighter day so far, with no players having yet broken 70 at the venue and nearly 40 players within five shots of current leader, former Scottish amateur champion Barry Hume (pictured above) from Glasgow.

With a place in the starting field at stake, all of those players will be in with a chance of taking one of the four qualifying spots by tomorrow evening.

JEAN VAN DE VELDE PROMISED CROWD PROTECTION

FROM THE AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICE

Jean Van de Velde kept alive his hopes of returning to the Open Championship with a two-under-par 70 in final qualifying at Hillside today - and was then promised protection for the second round.
The 42-year-old Frenchman, who has played only three Opens since his unforgettable last-hole collapse at Carnoustie in 1999, complained about the absence of crowd control.
"At the end of the day, it's a job here," he said after being told by a Royal and Ancient Club official that six marshals would be following his group with a rope on Tuesday.
"It's great that lots of people want to watch, but when they get in the way it's difficult. We couldn't even stand on one tee and my caddie had to sort it out," he added.
Even with 96 players battling for just four Open places at each of the three courses, Van de Velde opted for this route rather than last Monday's qualifier at Sunningdale because that was 36 holes in one day and he also does not agree with it being the day after the French Open.
As it was, he arrived in Southport at around midnight after driving up from the European Open in Kent, where he finished joint 33rd.
Van de Velde missed out on trying to qualify for a return to Carnoustie a year ago because of ill-health. He was even tested for bone cancer during the week of the event, but it is now thought it was a virus and he is back to health.
His playing partner Danny Willett, the former amateur world No 1, holed from off the green at the last to return a 70 as well.
Former Ryder Cup Scot Andrew Coltart dropped three late shots for a 72.