Three of the four leading pairs in qualifying have progressed to the final 16 of the annual two-ball event, though there were a couple of big-name casualties.

Former champions Ross Thompson and Brad Molenkamp were bundled out in the opening week by Mick Locke and John Curtis.

"Clinton Lamb, who won last year with his brother Donovan, was another who went through and even though his team only qualified 15th, he's playing with Darren Small, who won the Dunwright Matchplay title," Bathurst Golf Club secretary Brad Constable said.

The biggest casualties, second seeded Jeff Dean and Glenn Writer, were knocked out by lowly-ranked Dean Oxley and Mal Robbins.

At the top of the draw, leading qualifiers Bob Cooper and Viv Butler had no trouble disposing of Horst Hesse and Tony McIntosh.