BASINGSTOKE golfer Stuart Archibald claimed a share of 10th place at the latest EuroPro Tour event of the season, The GRENKE Championship.

The 31-year-old travelled to Cumberwell Park, in Wiltshire, for the event, having missed the cut at the first three EuroPro Tour events of the season.

In an attempt to improve his fortunes, Archibald took almost two weeks away from competition, resting an elbow injury that had been causing him problems.

It clearly did the trick, with the Worting golfer producing comfortably his best result of the year. Indeed, were it not for three dropped shots over the course of the final two holes, Archibald would have finished in a share of third place.

The Basingstoke man did not get off to the best start, making bogey at the first hole. A birdie at six was followed by a double bogey at the eighth, leaving him at +2, but Archibald was in top form after that.

He made birdies at six of the last 10 holes, playing the back nine in 31 shots on his way to a four-under-par round of 67 that left him very much in contention for the title.

Archibald began his second round from the 10th tee and was soon under par thanks to a birdie at 11. However, he finished the round badly, making bogey at his final two holes to shoot 72 (+1) to sit eighth going into the last day, four shots off the lead at -3.

Archibald was unable to make the fast start he required to get into contention during the final round and found himself one-over-par at the turn.

However, birdies at holes 10, 11, 12 and 16 saw him move to -6. Had he managed to make par at the final two holes, he would have claimed a share of third place, but a bogey at 17 and a double bogey at the last meant he had to settle for 10th, seven shots behind winner Marcus Armitage.

As a result, Archibald sits 71st in the overall standings ahead of the Paul Lawrie Foundation Granite City Classic, which gets under way at Newmacher GC, in Aberdeen, on Wednesday.