Matt Blackey squandered another great chance to secure his European Tour card in the French Open last night.

For the second time in a month the 32-year-old Southampton-based golfer got himself into a position to earn enough to keep his card.

But in a black repeat of the British Masters early in June, he let it slip from his grasp...

Like his old Hampshire team-mate Justin Rose, Blackey began the final day at six under but some brilliant play through the front nine put him in sight of the leaders.

He birdied two, five, six, seven and then the tenth to move to 11 under and into a tie for second place. He bogied the 12th but grabbed his sixth birdie at 13th to move back to third.

Then with the finish in sight, the former Hampshire champion wavered twice, taking a six at the par five 14th then a five at the 14th where his approach from the fairway missed the green and was a foot away from rolling into the water.

Credit to Blackey, he regained his composure to par his way home, but he was left with thoughts of what might have been as he finished up in a tie for 15th place. Instead of a six-figure cheque, he had to settle for around 35,000 euros which at last moved him 20 places up the rankings into 84th position with 134,000 euros in the bank.

Richard Bland, who lives next door to Blackey in Bassett, needs to muster even more of an escape act after falling from a top ten slot on Saturday afternoon, when he was eight under, into a tie for 37th place.

A final round of 74, which included three bogies in his front nine, proved costly but Bland regained a some valuable places with a birdie at the last - his fourth of the day.