REIGNING champion Gareth Hastie, of Bolton Golf Club, is on course for a fifth Bolton Golf Championship title after a 2&1 victory over Breightmet’s Nigel Hunter in Tuesday night’s quarter-finals.

In Wednesday evening’s semi-finals he will meet Old Links’ Matt Buckley who beat Bolton’s Tim Cooper 5&3 in their last eight tie.

In Wednesday’s other semi-final at Chorley Golf Club Turton’s Liam Ball – who beat Bolton’s Josh Ashton 5-3 in the quarter-finals – will meeting Mark Millhouse of Bolton who beat Matthew Smith of Turton 2&1 in the last eight.

The final takes place on Thursday at Chorley, which is staging this year’s competition.

If Hastie goes all the way he will equal Howard Broadbent’s record of five wins and the two of them will be joint second in the all-time list of winners.

The record is held by the legendary Jack Taylor with an incredible 10 wins.

Hastie had a tough game against Hunter on Tuesday. It was all going to plan for the reigning champion and tournament favourite when he went three up.

But then Hunter fought back strongly and hit three birdies to level the score after the 15th hole.

Hastie then birdied the 16th and won the game after the 17th was halved.

It was another close match between Millhouse and Smith. It was all square most of the way through the match with Millhouse one up at the turn.

Millhouse, who had already had an eagle at the second, had another one at the 13th and birdies at the 11th and 15th as he squeezed through to the last four.

Ball was too strong for Ashton in their quarter-final, leading all the way through their game, and it was a similar story in the other last eight tie which saw Buckley progress.