FIXBY assistant Alex Keighley revealed her satisfaction at booking her place in next month’s Glenmuir Women’s PGA Professional Championship – after getting in through the back door 12 months ago.

Former England international and Ladies European Tour member Keighley shot two over par 74 at Dunham Forest, Cheshire, to lead home the seven qualifiers for the 36-hole championship at Dundonald Links, near Troon, on June 18-19.

The tournament also served as one of the Ryder Cup Wales 2010 WPGA One Day Series but only players with a fully qualified category were eligible for the Glenmuir event.

And Keighley tied third in the former with Pannal’s Helen Dargan behind Gullane assistant Heather Macrae, a former British amateur stroke-play champion who shot two under par 70, and Teign Valley’s Laura Eastwood, the 2007 Order of Merit winner who finished one over par.

Former Yorkshire champion Keighley was more than delighted with her performance, given it was her first competitive outing of the season.

“I didn’t play too badly though I left a few shots out there and could have been four or five shots better off,” said Alex who made three birdies and five bogies.

“But it’s the start of the season and my first competitive round of the year so I’m very pleased. I wanted to play in a couple of big events this year and I’m glad to have qualified by rights as I got into the Glenmuir at Moortown last year as a reserve.”

Keighley went on to finish sixth at Moortown with the title went to Devon’s Tracy Loveys after the 36 holes were condensed into one day after rain washed out the opening day.

She is entered for five more Ryder Cup Wales 2010 WPGA one day events which carry Order of Merit points – at Stoke by Nayland, May 26; Cardiff, June 3; Harpenden Common, July 20; Forest Pines, August 11 and Little Aston, September 28.

Chris Hanson faces a busy time after shaking off the disappointment of losing out in the PGA Europro Tour event at Collingtree Park where he looked a certain winner until hitting trouble on the final day.

The Crosland Heath man is in a field of 78 seeking to earn a place in the Leeds Cup via Monday’s qualifying event at Sale where Lee Shepherd (Willow Valley) also makes his bid.

The following day Hanson, Longley Park’s John Amble, Robert Booth (Bradley Hall) and Darren Arber (West End) are among 99 players aiming to win through the qualifying test for the Spirotech Manchester Open, a PGA North Region major, at Marriott Manchester.

Paul Carman, the Fixby professional, challenges for the PGA North Region Kendal pro-am tomorrow.