BIRCHWOOD Golf Club professional Phil Archer has it all to do to qualify for the Open Championship after missing his best chance on Monday.

The 34-year-old recently finished tied 48th at the US Open and went into this week's Open qualifying event at Sunningdale in form.

But two disappointing rounds of 73 on Monday left Archer, who needed to finish in the top 12 to reach his second major at Hoylake between July 20 and 23, in joint 80th position.

Qualification is still not impossible but to do so he must finish in the top 10 in one of his next three events and be the highest finisher who has not already qualified.

That will be a tough task as Archer, who lives in Newton, will come up against elite European Tour fields in the three tournaments - the first of which is the Open de France in Paris starting today, Thursday.

Archer's other route to the Open is to be one of the top two money earners on the European Tour during the past two months who have not already qualified.

That seems unlikely because, although his recent performances have largely been good, he missed two events to play at the US Open.

And he also did not have his best tournament at the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles in Scotland at the weekend after missing the cut with rounds of 72 and 75.