NELSON golfer Nick Uttley qualified five shots ahead of the field at the Harold Ryden Championships at Blackburn golf club on Saturday.

The 35-year-old former Lancashire player shot an impressive 67 in the morning followed by 71 in the afternoon in wet conditions following Friday evening's deluge that caused flash floods across the region.

Despite the conditions, the players decided to go ahead with the competition, which is ELGA's flagship scratch contest.

Uttley will play the eighth qualifier, Rossendale's Ashley Siddle, in the quarter finals tonight.

Burnley's Michael Hunt, who won the competition last year, wasn't able to defend his title as he was in Silloth as first reserve with the Lancashire side, where his services were not required.

His club mate Ben Scott, who has a golfing scholarship at university in the States, qualified second with scores of 68 and 75.

He plays Blackburn 17-year-old James Pierce, who scored 72 and 74, in the quarter finals.

The only qualifier to have won the competition before is Wilpshire's Tony Holt, winner in 1998, who scored 71 and 73. He plays Blackburn's Anthony Harwood - a semi-finalist last year - in the quarter finals.

Lobden golf club's Chris Chrimes - a quarter finalist last year - qualified fourth with rounds of 74 and 71 and will play Blackburn's Chris Smith (71 and 74) in the quarter finals tonight.

Prominent amateurs to miss out were last year's finalist Craig Fort, who didn't return a score in the afternoon and carded 80 in the morning session.

ELGA captain Andy Samuels finished 19 strokes outside the cut after nightmare rounds of 81 and 86.

And Pleasington's Andy White - a semi-finalist last year - scored 77 and 76, eight strokes outside the top eight.

Uttley and Siddle will start at 5.30pm with the other four ties starting at 10-minute intervals.

Uttley said he was ready for the matchplay stage of the contest.

"I was delighted with the rounds," he said.

"My morning score, 67, four under, is the best I have ever shot at Blackburn.

"It was very wet under foot and pretty windy. Conditions weren't good.

"To finish five shots in front was great - it would be okay if it was strokeplay, I'd be well in front!

"But now we go to matchplay and I'm ready for that."

Uttley, who has played more than 50 times for Lancashire, has won the Nelson club championships seven times - including last year - but has never won the Harold Ryden.

"The Nelson club championships are good practice for ELGA because it is the same format and I have had lots of matchplay experience with Lancashire," he said.

"It is all on the night but it doesn't matter who I play, I am playing well enough to beat anybody."

Uttley has made a few changes to his game over the past few weeks following the arrival of the new pro Neil Reeves at the club.

"I saw Neil for about 10 minutes and he advised a few changes to my swing.

"I worked on it for a couple of days and took it into the competition and it has obviously done the trick."

The semi finals will be played tomorrow and the final on Wednesday at Blackburn.