North of Ireland Championship: Ex-senior international Michael Sinclair is thirsting to win back the North of Ireland Championship crown, and yesterday he took a big step in the right direction

The Knock 32-year-old carded a superb 64 to equal the course record on the Valley course at Royal Portrush during the first qualifying round when the lower handicap players tackled the shorter, par 70 course, and the higher men played Dunluce. They swap today after which the leading 64 go through to matchplay.

"I'm certainly very happy with that score and it takes the pressure off in qualifying," Sinclair said. "It gives me a cushion before playing Dunluce. But, at the end of the day, it's only about qualifying for the matchplay stages.

"I'd certainly like to win back the title (which he captured nine years ago". These days are just a matter of qualifying and then the real work begins."

Sinclair, one of only two former winners in the draw - Stuart Paul of Tandragee is the other - sped to the turn in five-under-par 30. He wedged to eight feet for birdie three at the first hole, and wedged to 10 feet for a two at the next.

He was on in two blows to set up a four at the long fourth, and clipped another shot off par at the next hole, rolling in a 15-footer, to be four under after five holes.

The charge was halted at the short sixth where he three-putted, but he made up for that lapse by making birdie from 30 feet at the seventh. A sandwedge to one inch at nine left him turning in 30 strokes.

Sinclair's putting wasn't as firm on the back nine, and after taking three to get down for a par five at the 10th, he also had various other birdie chances from 10 feet and under over the next holes. However, he finished with a birdie two, hitting a five-wood to the back of the green and rolling home a 30-footer as the putter got hot again.

Three shots behind Sinclair is English challenger Nick Scholey from Henbury, a 22-year-old Newcastle University student. He had four birdies in his 67, which was matched by Robert Forsythe of Ballyclare.

Forsythe (35), is playing for the last time in the tournament as he immigrates to New Zealand at the end of the year. Yesterday, he spread six birdies over his card, finishing with a five-iron to six feet for a two.

Among a long list of players on 68 are Conor Doran and Jim Carvill, who won the Midlands Scratch Cup last Sunday and who has leaped back to form. Carvill, beaten in his last North appearance by Darren Clarke in the 1990 final, also had four birdies, beginning with a three at the first hole where he wedged to eight feet.

Munster Open champion Doran birdied the ninth to be one over and then pencilled in four more on the back nine.

Stackstown's Michael Campbell took 73 shots to get round, and his moment to be remembered was an ace at the third, where he popped his pitching-wedge right into the cup.

Best score from Dunluce was one-under-71, shared by Sean Quigg (City of Derry), and Colin Wallace (Dungannon).