Cutchie sets the pace

** The par 4 14th 'Lighthouse' at Royal Cromer

Chris Cutchie of Colchester is setting the pace in the Weston Homes plc/Royal Cromer Classic which is the fourth of seven PGA in England East order of merit events.

His three under par round of 69 in breezy conditions included six birdies. He made a flying start with five of them coming in his first seven holes.

Hot on his heels, one shot behind, are Ian Ellis (Great Yarmouth and Caister) and Crue Elliott (Sandy Lodge). Ellis, who made the cut in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth in May, has ground to make up if he is to qualify for the PGA Play-Offs this year.

Elliott, the PGA East Anglian champion in 2013, dropped only one shot in his round and had three birdies. Four players are on level par 72. They are Daniel Field (East Herts), Glen Portelli (Verulam), Louis Farrelly (Hendon) and James Mynott (St Ives).

Current order of merit leader Darren Charlton (Dunstable Downs) had a round of 75. David Salisbury (Three Rivers), in second place, had a disappointing 76.