Two Yorkshire men head qualifying at Formby and Hesketh

Rook's a high flyer

in England amateur

championship

There’s a Yorkshire one-two at the head of the leaderboard for qualifying at the English men’s amateur championship, with Sam Rook pipping Sam Bairstow to become top seed.

Rook (Lindrick) and Bairstow (Hallowes) both played the 36 holes of stroke play at Formby and Hesketh Golf Clubs in five under-par. However, Rook took the honours with his better second round of three-under 69 while Bairstow was two-under, both at Formby. 

Breathing down their necks is a group of impressive layers who shot four-under: David Langley (Castle Royle), another Yorkshireman Nick Poppleton (Wath), Andrew Wilson (Darlington) and Matty Lamb, Hexham. 

Tomorrow Rook (pictured) takes on Dan O’Loughlin (Ruddington Grange) in the first round proper, but Bairstow has to wait to discover his opponent. 

The top 64 players and ties qualified for the match play stages – and with a total of 73 players going through, that means a preliminary round involving 18 players. 

George Crow (Rochester and Cobham Park) missed out on a place in the knock out but had the satisfaction of a hole in one on the 16th at Formby. 

Click here for the stroke play results and the match play draw

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Image copyright Leaderboard Photography