Dan on target to be lord of manor at Astbury Hall

Dan Waite remains top of the Astbury Hall Classic leaderboard going into the last round as he bids for a second successive win on the 888poker.com PGA Europro Tour.

The Wisley golfer is six under par after two rounds of the 54-hole event and leads by one stroke from Scotland’s Elliot Saltman with James Hepworth is third on four under.

Waite, who won the season-opening Motocaddy Masters at Wensum Valley two weeks ago, fired an opening-round 66 on the Shropshire course, a par 70 for this week’s £40,000 tournament, and followed that up with a 68 on day two.

The 24-year-old began his second round on the tenth and opened with four consecutive pars. A bogey five on 14 proved only a blip and he birdied the 15th to return to four under.

Three pars completed the back nine and turning home he made back-to-back birdies at the first and second. A five on the par-four sixth pegged Waite back to five under but a birdie finish on the ninth gave him a one-stroke overnight lead ahead of the final round.

Saltman (Archerfield Links) also shot a two-under 68 on the second day to remain one behind the leader.

Hepworth, who won his 2013 Challenge Tour card by finishing in the top five of the 2012 Europro Order of Merit, is two behind Waite after shooting a three under par second-round 67.

The Ilkley-based golfer was one under overnight and began his second round on the tenth tee. He made birdies at 15, 17, one and two with the only blemish on his card a bogey on the par-three third to finish the day four under for his 36 holes.

Neil Fenwick (Dunbar Golf Club), James Watts (Kingsway Golf Centre) and Finland’s Janne Kaske (Kullo Golf) are tied fourth on three under par. James Robinson (Southport & Ainsdale) and Dave Coupland (Sharp Sports Golf Management) are two under. European Tour regular David Horsey (ISM) is one of 11 golfers tied ninth on one under going into the final round.

Spectator entry to the event is free throughout and a two-hour highlights package of The Astbury Hall Classic will be broadcast on Sky Sports on Wednesday, May 29. Live scoring is available at www.europrotour.com.