THREE years after walking off Sunningdale's New Course because he was playing so badly, England's Graeme Storm took his revenge this morning with a dazzling 62 in the first round of the 36-hole Open qualifying event.

The former French Open champion completed his eight under par display with an 18-foot eagle putt on the last and said: "I came off after nine or ten holes last time because I was just terrible."

And he is not the only North-East golfer in with a chance of playing at Turnberry, after Barnard Castle's Robert Dinwiddie posted a 64. Storm missed the cut in the Wales Open on Friday, but added: "I took the weekend off and I suppose that meant Im not as tired as some of those who played all 72 holes, especially with the rain delays they had. Even though I was nine over there I never had any luck, whereas here I got away with many bad shots." Storm, who was in ninth place with a round to play at Birkdale last year before falling away to 39th with a 78, was among 96 players today competing for 10 spots at Turnberry. He held an early three-stroke lead over Scot Andrew Coltart, trying to make it into his first Open since Muirfield in 2002. Coltart's former Ryder Cup team-mate Thomas Levet - second that year after a five-hole play-off eventually won by Ernie Els - was not a happy camper. After handing in a one over 71 the Frenchman said: I played like you play when you tee-off at 6.30 in the morning. To make matters worse before he went out again for his second round at 11.24am he complained about having to make do with a sandwich and chocolate bar because they had stopped serving breakfast in the clubhouse and had not started lunch.

The target on the Old Course was set by Coltart's compatriot Alastair Forsyth with a four under par 66 highlighted by four successive birdies from the sixth.