Sizzling 65 has Salisbury on front foot

David Salisbury (Three Rivers) fired a fine 65 to seize the halfway lead at the Lynx Golf Championship @Rayleigh Club.

Salisbury began the final two-day tournament of the season lying second on the Order of Merit.

And his six-under-par salvo edged him ever closer to one of the top-three spots that will guarantee a place in the PGA Play Offs in Antalya, Turkey, at the end of November.

Salisbury was in inspired form right from the start of his round as he notched four birdies inside the first five holes.

He turned for home at three-under and forged further ahead with back-to-back-birdies at the 11th and 12th.

And the Essex professional finished off a glowing day in the ideal fashion, picking up a further stroke at the last.

It all added up to a one-stroke lead at the end of day one with Luke Eggleston (LE Custom Fitting Studio) and ex-European Tour ace Raymond Russell (Centurion Club) sharing second place.

Order of Merit leader Darren Charlton (Dunstable Downs) will begin the second round in a tie for sixth after an opening 69.

Stuart Brown (Thorpe Wood) who began the event in the third and final Play Off spot opened up with a 70 and lies tied-19th.

The fourth and fifth on the Order of Merit, James Ruebotham (Welwyn Garden City) and Sean Whiffin (Hertfordshire G&CC), both shot 73 and are in a share of 44th spot.