Parry a shot ahead in Bathgate Open

The ever-consistent Steve Parry set the first round pace in the Bathgate Cheshire and North Wales Open at Portal.

After the course had withstood torrential rain for most of the morning, conditions eased in time for the afternoon tee off.

Former De Vere Leeds Cup winner Parry, who runs his own North West Teaching Academy at Westhoughton Club Hart Common, erred only once with a bogey on the 18th - his ninth hole.

But more than compensated for the lapse with a trio of birdies in a two-under-par 71.

He goes into the second and final round, restricted to the top 20 qualifiers, two clear of Knutsford professional Tim Maxwell and 2011 winner, Rochdale-based Jon Cheetham, who eagled the 12th.

Among the high profile professionals who missed the cut on four-over-par was Mossock Hall's PGA Cup player David Shacklady.