Lee Shepherd led the PGA North Region east qualifying round for the MEN Manchester Open with a three-under-par 69 at Northumberland club De Vere Slaley Hall.
The 23-year-old trainee assistant at the Brighouse pay-and-play course collected four birdies including three on the opening par par fives before giving one back at the 16th.
But he still had two shots to spare over Phil Kelly, from St Annes Old Links, and Tyneside's Gary Vickers.
The MEN Manchester Open is the last of four regional Order of Merit tournaments at Marriott Worsley Park on October 7-8.