BASINGSTOKE golfer Stuart Archibald’s hopes of playing at this year’s Open Championship are all but over after he finished in a tie for seventh place at Regional Qualifying on Monday.

The 30-year-old shot a two-under-par round of 70 at Buckinghamshire GC to get himself into a play-off, alongside nine other players, for six available spots at Final Qualifying.

Three players made birdie at the first extra hole to secure their spots, while five players, including Archibald, made par and had to play a second play-off hole for the remaining three places.

Sadly, Archibald came up short of the green and was only able to make bogey, meaning that he failed to progress.

With reserve spots allocated by countback over the back nine of the main event, Archibald ended up lower in the pecking order than a player he had beaten in the play-off and is 19th reserve for Final Qualifying.

“It’s frustrating because I was so close,” he said. “If I get a call to say I can play Final Qualifying at Woburn or Sunningdale at the last minute, then I will give it a go, but if it is miles away on a course that I don’t know, then it probably won’t be worth it.”

Archibald was in EuroPro Tour action at Cumberwell Park, in Wiltshire, last week, finishing in a tie for sixth at The Hotelplanner.com Championship, just three shots behind the winner.

The Worting man made six birdies on the way to an opening round of 66 (-5), while five birdies on the back nine led to a second round of 68 (-3). He was in contention going into the last day, but a final round of 69 (-2) was not enough to challenge for victory.

Archibald is currently in action at The Buildbase Open, which got under way at Frilford Heath, in Oxfordshire, yesterday.

Hook golfer Adam Copeland was also in action at Open qualifying last week, carding a six-over-par round of 77 to finish 62nd at Hankley Common.

He will play for Hampshire’s under-21 side at Hever Castle on Sunday as they take on Sussex and Kent in a triangular match. Another north Hampshire player, Charlie Manning, is also in the side, which is captained by Tylney Park member Neil Dawson.