TEESSIDE Golf Club's Vince Guest led the way for the North-East among a group of five golfers from the region who took massive strides towards becoming a regular fixture on the PGA Europro Tour yesterday.

In one of the country's pre-qualifying events staged at The Wynyard Club on Teesside there was joy for Guest, Ramside's Ian Parnaby, South Moor's Mark Ridley and both Thomas Robinson and Michael Skelton on their home turf.

But where there was joy for that quintet there was heartbreak for Seaton Carew's James Harper. He lost out in a final hole play-off between seven golfers for the final two places in next week's final qualifier to Scotland's Ross Cameron and England's Chris Russell.

That means Durham County champion Harper's hopes of forging his name on the stepping stone tour to the Challenge Tour disappeared, along with those of Wynyard duo James Whatmore, 16 over, and Darren Crowle, 17 over.

But for the successful North-East five they can now look forward to Tuesday's final qualifying school at Frilford Heath, when they will be looking to cement their places on the same tour on which Hartlepool's Simon Robinson made a name for himself last season.

Guest ended the two days at The Wynyard level at the top of the leaderboard with Scottish trio Jamie McLeary, Graeme Brown and Eric Ramsay on four under par.

Parnaby was two shots behind in sixth place, while Robinson and club-mate Skelton were tied 29th on four over par.

Mark Ridley of Durham's South Moor Club, near Stanley, ended 45th on six over but that proved sufficient for him to claim his place.

The final stage of qualifying will be played over 54 holes, with the field being cut to the leading 120 players, plus ties after 36 holes.

Published: 31/03/2006