Golf:The prospects of Shane Lowry, Peter Lawrie or Paul McGinley making it to the British Open are not good after all three failed to come through a 36-hole qualifier at Sunningdale today. The only avenue now open to them is to claim the one remaining spot on offer at the Scottish Open.

There were 10 places on offer at Sunningdale this afternoon but Lowry, with rounds of 69 and 68, was the best placed of the Irish in a tie for 17th place. Lawrie was back in 47th place while McGinley, third in Germany at the weekend, managed only a 75 and was among 21 players not to return for the afternoon second round.

Colin Montgomerie just missed out by a single stroke and Danny Willett, fresh from his maiden European Tour win at the BMW International Open, ran out of steam in the afternoon to finish in a tie for 28th.