Former champion Brett Taylor comfortably progressed through the first stage of his bid to regain the Powerade PGA Assistants' Championship, in association with FootJoy, with victory in the East Region qualifier.
The Essex professional from Chelmsford Golf Club was one of the early starters and he set the pace with a three-under-par 68 at Benton Hall in Witham.
He left the course before most of the field had come close to finishing safe in the knowledge his score would be enough to secure one of the 16 places available for the final at The London Club in August.
It was, in fact, good enough to win by one from Wyke Green's Duncan Giblett, with Ely City's Jamie Lebrun third after a 70.
Taylor's passage back to the final, which he won in 2006, was virtually secured with five birdies on his front nine.
From that point he adopted a more cautious approach, knowing if he avoided any disasters on the way home he would be through. He added a couple more birdies on the back nine and even though he had four bogeys on his card his mission was accomplished.
"I'm very happy with it and I'm pleased to get through," said the 33-year-old.
"I got off to a good start with five birdies on the front nine and that gave me more than enough.
"I would normally carry on playing the same way but with so many tight holes with water on the back nine I just fiddled it around a bit. There was no point in doing anything too aggressive.
"I was pleased to play nicely. The first stage is complete and now I've got there I have a good chance.
"This is my last year as an assistant and I'm looking forward to going back to The London Club. I love the golf course."
There were a total of 16 places available for the final and it needed a three-way play-off between Hanbury Manor's Richard Nichols, Tilsworth's Richard Webb and Aaron Boylett to decide the last one.
A bogey accounted for Webb at the first hole and Boylett birdied the second to book his place.