STONEHAM'S Ryan Moody’s bid to become the first amateur from Hampshire to come through Open Qualifying since Justin Rose in 1998 ended in disappointment, reports Andrew Griffin.

The former mini-tour pro, who is taking up a PGA position at Bramshaw Golf Club in the autumn, was determined to have a crack at joining the world’s best players in the 150th Open at St Andrews this month.

He travelled to Kent’s Prince’s GC – which hosted the Open in 1932 when Gene Sarazen introduced the sand wedge to the game at Sandwich – to pursue his dream.

The Southampton Docks worker was battling with 71 other players to grab one of the four spots up for grabs in The Open at the Home of Golf.

But Moody, who won Hampshire’s Courage Trophy – the county’s 36-hole strokeplay championship – two years ago on his home course, could only finish in a share of 19th.

After coming through local qualifying at The Buckinghamshire, where he finished tied fourth on one-under, the links course, which sits next to Royal St George’s where America’s Collin Morikawa claimed his second Major last summer, was not so kind to Moody.

Any hopes of emulating Rose – who famously finished fourth at Royal Birkdale 24 years ago after chipping in for birdie from 50 yards on the last – ended as he finished on one-over par after 36 holes.

Moody carded a one-under par 71 in the morning but could only come home with a 74.

Former Hampshire Colt Lewis Scott, from Lee-on-the-Solent, who now is a PGA assistant at Paulton’s Park, also carded a one-over total thanks to an excellent second round 68, which matched the lowest of the day at Prince’s.

Former Hampshire junior Brandon Robinson-Thompson, who plays on the EuroPro Tour, having been a college winner in the States, finished a shot behind Lewis and Moody.

The Isle of Wight based tour pro, who was in the same Hampshire Boys squad as future Amateur Champion Harry Ellis, was in the leading pack after a 70, but slipped out of the race for an Open start with a 76 to drop down to 28th place.