SOUTHAMPTON golfer Richard Bland soared up the European Challenge Tour rankings with a fine second place in France yesterday.

The 31-year-old Stoneham clubman fired a final round of 68 to finish just one shot behind Sweden's Johan Axgren in the Challenge de France at Golf des Volcans.

Bland had been in contention all the way through after defying gale-force winds to post an astonishing two under par on Thursday.

He drifted off the pace with a second round 73 and carded a third round 71 when Axgren made his big move with a 67.

So it went right down to the wire yesterday when Bland opened up with a birdie at the first and strengthened his challenge by picking up another shot at the fifth.

Little did he know that his one and only bogey, at the 420-yard 11th, would prove decisive although he bounced back well enough with birdies at the 16th and the closing hole.

Coming down the finishing stretch, Axgren, whose last Challenge Tour win came eight years ago, birdied the 16th to take a one-shot lead and came to the last needing a par to win. He made it to shut out Bland, who clinched his third third five finish of the season.

The six-times Hampshire Open champion, who lost his European Tour card last year, earned 13,750 euro to move to 11th in the Challenge Tour order of merit.

With the top 15 automatically earning their European Tour cards for next season, it's a great position for Bland to be in going into the final third of the season.

For Salisbury's Gary Emerson, though, there was an almighty fall from grace.

He actually led the tournament at halfway, but closing rounds of 75 and 76 left him back in 34th place - not the tonic he was looking for going into The Open at Royal Troon on Thursday.

The one and only Open qualifying place on offer at the Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond was snapped up by the winner, France's Thomas Levet.

A stunning finishing round of 63, helped by a back nine of just 29, left Level one shot in front of New Zealander Michael Campbell, with the holder Ernie Els and Swindon's David Howell sharing third.

Levet was overjoyed at landing the last Open qualifying slot, especially after missing out to Els in a play off for the title at Muirfield two years ago.

Southampton's Matt Blackey shot a solid last round of 70 to finish one over at Loch Lomond and in a tie for 63rd place.

Stoneham's Alan Mew slipped from second place after the first round to 34th in the Nigel Mansell Sunseeker Interantional Classic at Woodbury Park.

Mew, who had opened up with a 68, lost his way on Saturday when a triple bogey seven helped push his score up to 77. The former Hampshire amateur champion finished with a 72.

Eight Hampshire hopefuls went into the final stages of regional Open qualifying in West Scotland on Saturday and Sunday, but none of them got through.

With only three places available at each venue, the best Hampshire effort came from Royal Winchester's Chris Kilgannon with 75 and 71 at Irvine, where another amateur, Brokenhurst Manor's Martin Young carded 77 and 73.

Other Hampshire scores - Western Gailes: David Porter (East Horton) 74 83; Turnberry: Jamie Hall (Meon Valley) 81 77, Philip Bryden (Tournerbury) 76 77, Stuart Archibald (Dummer) 76 77. Glasgow Gailes: Jon Le Roux (Worldham Park) 76 77, Chris Hudson (Southwood) 76 80.