Colin Montgomerie is running out of chances to reach this year's Open Championship at St Andrews after missing out in final qualifying at Woburn.
The 52-year-old Scot, who was back in Britain just two days after finishing runner-up at the US Senior Open at Sacramento's Del Paso Country Club, fell four strokes short on Tuesday.
Montgomerie's chances of returning to the 'Home of Golf', where he finished second to Tiger Woods in 2005, now rely on a strong performance at next week's Scottish Open at Gullane.
"When there are only three spots and 72 players you have to putt well and I putted like an idiot," Montgomerie said.
Also in the field at Woburn was double U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen, who survived a play-off against English pair Adam Gee and Jamie Moul to secure a place at the season's next major, but it was Irish amateur Paul Dunne who caught the eye on the Marquess course.
Repeating his success of last season, the 22-year-old shot rounds of 70 and 65 to win the qualifying event by three strokes with a nine-under-par total of 135.
"I guess I love this place," Dunne said. "Last year was a bit more of a shock because I had no expectations. This time I knew I could shoot the scores and that put more pressure on me.
"I'm delighted. It's not really sunk it yet, but going to St Andrews will be ultra-special - probably the biggest week of my life."
The qualifier from Woburn was England's Robert Dinwiddie, who finished second on his own at six-under and will finally make his Open debut after 16 attempts.
