West Bradford's Darryl Berry was today just 18 holes away from the chance of pitting his skills against world No 1 Tiger Woods in this week's Open Championship at Lytham.

The 22-year-old was joint fifth after the first 18 holes of pre-qualifying at St Annes Old Links with the leading eight players going through to Thursday's Open proper.

His five-under-par 67 was a stroke better than Ryder Cup captain Sam Torrance and two better than American Jeff Maggert.

A similar performance today would virtually guarantee Berry a place as one of the amateurs challenging the top professionals for glory at the famous Royal Lytham and St Annes course.

He couldn't have wished for a better start with birdies at the first two holes. "I sank about a 30-footer at the first and then had a 12-foot putt for a birdie at the second," he said.

"I bogeyed the fourth, but then had birdies at the sixth and ninth.

At the 12th I hit a four iron to within 12 feet and holed out for another birdie and then birdied the last. It's going to be difficult to qualify with only eight going through and I will probably have to shoot something similar to have a chance and it could well go to a play-off."

Berry's playing partner, amateur John Kemp, a salesman from John O'Gaunt, carded a superb seven-under-par 65 which was later matched by another amateur David Dixon to put them in the driving seat.

Next best were Australian Nathan Green and Frenchman Alexandre Balicki on 66 with three grouped on 67. Torrance, who has qualified for every championship since his debut in 1972 - his best finish coming at Royal St George's back in 1981 when he finished fifth behind American Bill Rogers - still has a little more to do after his 68.

The only blemish came in 1999 when he was forced to withdraw with injury before the start but the Scot insists that should still count towards his incredible run of 29 consecutive championships.

Torrance recovered from a double bogey seven at the fifth, where he drove out of bounds, with three birdies in his next four holes to be out in 35.

Another birdie on the 14th was followed by an eagle on the 17th and Torrance, who had missed five of the last six cuts on the European Tour since being forced to withdraw through injury from the Benson and Hedges International at the Belfry when lying joint third at halfway, admitted: "I'll settle for that."

Meanwhile, Torrance's predecessor as captain, Mark James from Burley-in-Wharfedale, was happy to card a level-par 72 in terrible conditions at Hillside. James, back on tour after recovering from cancer, got the worst of the morning wind and heavy rain which forced play to be suspended for an hour on another of the qualifying courses at Fairhaven.