Rush of birdies

Ollie Rush of Haverhill produced a round of three-under-par 70 at Cambridge Meridian Golf Club to lead the 31 qualifiers for the Virgin Atlantic Classic to be played at Stock Brook Golf and Country Club on August 7 and 8.

Joint runners-up at two-under-par were Matt Spencer of Mill Green and James Johnstone of Manor of Groves.

Rush was three-over-par on the seventh tee but then enjoyed a purple patch when he reeled off six birdies in his next nine holes. He dropped a shot at the 16th but birdied the last.

Johnstone had a distinction of recording the only eagles of the day - on the 529-yard par five fourth hole and the 300-yard par four 11th.

Michael Coneybeare (unattached) and James Gurry (GurryGolf.com) were both one-under while Aaron Howard of Saffron Walden was level par.

Players with seven-over-par 80 earned a place in the Virgin Atlantic Classic which will be the fifth of six East Region Order of Merit events of the year also supported by Virgin Atlantic.