Along with Brandon Hodgson, of Otago, and St Clair professional Patrick Moore, who both shot 70, and Wanaka's Blake Mason, who fired 71, MacLachlan will go forward to the final qualifying tournament at Cromwell on February 26.
MacLachlan turned square with two birdies and two bogeys on the front nine. He began the homeward nine in style, birdieing the infamous Glen hole and the par-3 12th but dropped a shot on the par-5 13th.
He retaliated with a birdie three on the dog-leg 14th and another birdie on the short par-4 16th.
Moore turned 2-under and came home with eight pars, his only blemish a bogey five on the penultimate hole.
Hodgson also turned 2-under and came home with eight pars and a bogey five on the Glen hole.
Mason started his round with back-to-back birdies and had the best front nine after posting his third birdie on the par-4 eighth.
He was still 3-under after 12 holes but then made a bogey at 13 and a double-bogey at 14 to finish on 71 to snatch the final qualifying berth .
Kayne Wardell (Allan Grange), Ben Patston (Otago) and Callum Judkins (Wakatipu Junior) were one shot back on 72.
