ENGLAND boy cap Robert Burlison from Staffordshire and Norfolk’s Jack Yule led the 132-strong field in the Brabazon Trophy Northern Qualifier at Pleasington.

The pair returned four-under-par 67s, finishing a stroke clear of five players on 68, while a total of 19 players bettered the par of 71 in favourable conditions at the Lancashire venue.

And there was local joy as Pleasington member Michael Hunt and Wilpshire’s Joey Lamb made it through to the prestigious competition.

Burlison, from the Oxley Park club, was a morning starter and returned seven birdies in his 67. After reaching the turn in 36, the teenager birdied four of the next six holes and found another at 18 to be home in 31.

Yule, a King’s Lynn member, was out in the afternoon and also came home in 31, after an outward 36, with birdies at the 11th, 12th and 15th.

Five players shared third place on 68 including three Lancastrians. Local knowledge obviously helped Hunt, who returned six birdies, five in the front nine of 34, while James Bolton from Formby and Hillside’s Richie Blundell both signed for four.

Also returning 68 was Rotherham’s Jamie Harrison, another with four birdies on his card, coming on four successive holes from the fourth in an outward 33, the best of the day.

Freddie Sheridan-Mills from Walsall also signed for 68 with five birdies. He also made a blistering start with birdies at the first two holes while his other three came in a back nine of 32.

Bradley Moore, another boy international and the winner of this season’s McEvoy Trophy, qualified on 70 thanks to a hole-in-one. The Derbyshire teenager ‘aced’ the 190-yard tenth hole, the eagle going nicely with his three birdies.

A total of 27 players on 71 or better, qualified for the Brabazon Trophy at Formby next month, while 22 others on 72 were involved in a sudden death play-off for the three remaining places in June’s Amateur strokeplay event.

The successful trio were Lamb, Ashley Chesters (Hawkstone Park) and Alex Dixon (City of Newcastle).