Justin Walters went bogey-free on Thursday as he got the latest stage in his effort to regain his DP World Tour playing privileges off to a good start with a six-under-par 65 in the first round of the Challenge Tour’s Hangzhou Open.

In the last event before the season-ending Challenge Tour’s Grand Final, Walters is just two shots off the lead in a share of fourth – and projected to rise to 34^th in the Road to Mallorca rankings. With the top 45 making the Grand Final in Mallorca, and the top 20 after that winning their DP World Tour cards, it was a timely 13-place climb by Walters.

He started his round on the 10^th, and birdied that hole and the 17^th, before making four birdies on the front nine.

Up front, Ireland’s Conor Purcell carded an eight-under-par 63 to lead by one from Sweden’s Mikael Lindberg and Italy’s Gregorio De Leo.

Walters shared fourth with three other players, and there were six players on five-under-par in a share of eighth.

Deon Germishuys was on four-under-par in a share of 14^th, together with Bryce Easton. Germishuys is assured of playing in Mallorca, while Easton needs much more to make the top 45 on the rankings.

Wilco Nienaber and JC Ritchie each carded level-par 71 and were down in a share of 66^th. Nienaber seems almost certain to get to Mallorca, while Ritchie is right on the bubble, projected as he is to slip three places from 45^th to 48^th.