BASINGSTOKE golfer Stuart Archibald endured a fruitless trip to Scotland last week, missing the cut at the latest EuroPro Tour event.

The 31-year-old from Worting made the long trek to Newmachar Golf Club, near Aberdeen, to compete at the Paul Lawrie Foundation Granite City Classic.

He did well on the first day but under-performed in round two and travelled home empty handed after failing to qualify for the final 18 holes.

Archibald was in touch with the leaders after shooting a three-under-par opening round of 69.

He made birdies at holes one, five, six and eight to get his tournament off to a really good start and while a bogey followed at the ninth, Archibald reached the turn in 33, three-under-par.

A birdie at the 10th briefly had him back to -4, but he bogeyed the 13th and was unable to pick up any more shots in the remaining five holes.

Still, an opening round of 69 (-3) left him in contention near the top of the leaderboard heading into day two.

Sadly, the HJS and Legend Alliance-sponsored player was unable to play as well during the second round.

Bogeys at holes five and eight had him flirting with the cut and another dropped shot at 15 left him with a mountain to climb in order to make the final day.

A birdie at 16 gave him hope, but a dropped shot at the penultimate hole sealed his fate, a three-over-par round of 75 resulting in Archibald missing the cut by two shots.

The Basingstoke man slipped nine places to 80th in the EuroPro Tour standings as a result, a position he will be looking to improve at the Eagle Orchid Scottish Masters, which gets under way at Montrose Golf Links today.