Belt and Jackson share Longhirst lead

Alex Belt and Luke Jackson share a one-stroke lead after the first round of the Dawson and Sanderson Travel Classic at Longhirst Hall Golf Club.

The pair carded opening-round 68s on the Dawson Course at the Morpeth venue, with six golfers tied for third on three-under with 36 holes of the third event of the HotelPlanner.com PGA Europro Tour season still to play.

Belt (De Vere/Snainton), who won at Collingtree Park on last season’s Tour, bogeyed the second but returned to par for his round with a birdie on the par-three third. Birdies at eight, nine, 12 and 13 took him four under the card. He dropped back with a bogey on the sixth but just as he had earlier in the round he responded immediately with a birdie on the 17^th.

Jackson (Lindrick Golf Club) is playing his maiden season on the HotelPlanner.com PGA EuroPro Tour after winning his card through Q School. The 21-year-old was two-under by the third hole after starting par, birdie, birdie, and made back-to-back birdies at nine and ten to move to four-under. A bogey at 12 was only a brief setback as he made four on the par-five 13^th before closing out his opening 18 with five successive pars.

Jason Dransfield (De Vere Wychwood Park), Luke Joy (Broadstone Golf Club), Scott Fallon (Lightning Packaging Supp Ltd), Sam Forgan (Stowmarket Golf Club), Graeme Clark (Doncaster Golf Club) and Greg Payne (Chobham Golf Club) are the six players one stroke behind the leading duo.

William Harrold (Sheringham Golf Club), who won at the Belfry earlier in the season, is one of seven golfers two shots back, as is two-time European Tour winner Bradley Dredge.

The second round of the Dawson and Sanderson Travel Classic gets underway at 7am on Thursday, with spectator entry free all week. Following tomorrow’s round a cut will be made with the leading 50 players and ties proceeding to play Friday’s final round, which will be filmed for a two-hour highlights package to be aired on Sky Sports HD on June 3, with repeats the following day.