NELSON'S Nick Uttley rolled back the years to enter the ELGA Harold Ryden quarter-finals as lead qualifier after rounds of 74 and 68 at Blackburn on Saturday.

The 2002 champion is one of four former winners in the last eight along with Anthony Keenan, Gary Blades and Anthony Harwood.

Pleasington's Owen Leigh, Burnley's Mark Ridgway and the Nelson pair of Craig Waddington and Curtis Clarkin also made it through to the knockout stages which start on Monday night.

There was bad news for Pleasington's Michael Hunt, though, after he had to withdraw due to injury early in his second round.

After posting a score of 74 in the morning, the 2001 and 2015 winner tripped on the path leading away from the first tee and damaged his ankle.

Despite attempting to play on, Hunt was forced to call it a day after just four holes.

Blackburn has been a happy hunting ground for Uttley in the past, it was at the Revidge Road course that he won his only Ryden title, beating Harwood in the final 17 years ago.

He will now face Ridgway - the final man into the knockout stages with a 149 total - in the first of three Nelson versus Burnley clashes that the quarter-final draw has thrown up.

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2018 champion Keenan, who birdied three of his final five holes in a first round of 69 on Saturday morning, will have to get the better of Waddington if he wants his title defence to go on.

The third all-Pendle match-up sees Blades, who booked his place as second qualifier with a two-under par 69 on Saturday afternoon, take on former runner-up Clarkin.

And Harwood, looking to make the final for the fourth time in five years, will have a battle on his hands when he meets Leigh in the fourth match on Monday evening.

ELGA secretary Andy Dean said: "What a quarter-final line-up we have.

"There was some superb golf played on Saturday, the three scores under 70 from Nick, Gary and Anthony were so impressive.

"All the players have said how impressed they are with the condition Blackburn is in and if we get lucky with the weather then the next three nights should be really interesting to watch.

"You have got to feel for Hunty though. He just tripped about 50 yards from the first tee in the afternoon and his ankle swelled up immediately.

"Being the type of character he is, he tried to play on but there was no way he could finish."

The best 36-hole nett total was a two-under-par 140 by Blackburn's Adam Morris, who only missed out on making the last eight by a single shot.

Others to just miss out on the quarter-finals were Colne's Gareth Aspey (150), Accrington's Chris Nuttall (152) and Blackburn's Roberto Bonaminio (152).

Quarter-final draw, matches tonight at Blackburn Golf Club

5pm: Nick Uttley v Mark Ridgway

5.15pm: Anthony Keenan v Craig Waddington

5.30pm: Gary Blades v Curtis Clarkin

5.45pm: Owen Leigh v Anthony Harwood