Wakefield's Bradbury leads the way at Walton Heath

Wakefield's Dan Bradbury had seven birdies in his opening round in the Walton Heath Trophy (Picture: Chris Stratford).

Bradbury stumbled at the second before collecting three birdies in the space of six holes from the fourth.

His back nine started inauspiciously with a second bogey of the day, but he produced an even more impressive six-hole burst, starting at the 11th, that contained four birdies.

Howley Hall’s Ben Hutchinson is four shots back of Bradbury after shooting a one-under-par 71.

The former Yorkshire champion got off to a superb start, birdieing the third then following with an eagle two at the 343-yard par-4 fourth and a second birdie at the sixth.

However, he gave back three shots with a double bogey at seven and a single at nine to be out in one under.

His return to the clubhouse was more sedate, with seven pars plus one birdie and one bogey.

Sam Bairstow (Hallowes) and Josh Morton (Huddersfield) both shot 74.

Bairstow suffered a triple bogey seven at the 425-yard par-4 third, and a birdie at eight had him two over at the turn.

He came home in level in identical fashion to Hutchinson.

Morton had eight pars and a bogey in his front nine. Three more bogeys followed on his way in, accompanied by birdies at 13 and 15.

Moortown's David Houlding carded a five-over-par 77 with four shots lost on the way out, three of them shed at the 460-yard par-4 ninth.

He had two bogeys and one birdie on his way in.