Justin Rose: Disappointing not to get over both hurdles

The 18-year-old, fourth at the Open Championship in July while still an amateur, began the final round in 51st place, needing a sub-par round to finish in the top 35 and clinch his tour berth.

Ultimately he slumped to 73rd place and was nine shots off the cut-off point.

But it was a triumphant day for Scotland's Ross Drummond, who won the event on a count-back after a tie with Sweden's Henrik Nystrom.

And there was success for former Ryder Cup star Steve Richardson and ex-Walker Cup player Jeremy Robinson, who had to use his three-iron as a walking stick for the last four because of a bad back.

Rose wilts in the wind

Difficult, blustery conditions were not in Rose's favour and his challenge was effectively ended as he dropped four strokes on the front nine.

His score was his worst of the week and gave him a 14-over-par total of 446.

Rose now faces the prospect of spending much of 1999 on the Challenge Tour, although he could still appear in some events on the main tour via sponsor's invitations.

"It's been a long week. I'm upset because I wanted to come here and make my card. But life goes on," said Rose, who was troubled by a niggling groin strain.

Tony Adamson reports (BBC Radio 5 Live)

He did well to save par at the 11th - the second hole of his round - after finding trouble among the trees but could not escape a bogey at the next where his approach spun back into the lake.

Rose went through the green at 15 and dropped back to eight-over-par and two more shots slipped away in difficult, blustery conditions as he went to the turn in 40.

Three more bogeys followed and worse was to come at the 8th, where he drove out of bounds and eventually ran up a triple bogey seven.

But he had the consolation of finishing on a high note at the next, where he sank a 20-foot putt for an eagle.

Rose now heads down under with invitations to play in the Australian and New Zealand Opens.

Drummond seals top spot

Nystrom: Joining a large Swedish contingent on tour

Drummond took the number one spot by virtue of a better last round than Nystrom - 72 to 76 - and the 41-year-old said: "This has exceeded my expectations. I'm delighted with how I performed."

He played with Rose in the Open qualifying four months ago and said: "He certainly impressed me then and I expected him to make it.

"But there's a big difference between amateur and professional golf and I think he has suddenly realised it."

Yorkshire's Gordon J Brand, the other ex-Ryder Cup man who made the cut, failed to win a card on 12 over par, but 47-year-old American Mac O'Grady, twice a winner on the US Tour in the 1980s, did it with one to spare.

Relief for Richardson

Richardson was mightily relieved, after returning to the school for the first time since turning professional in 1989.

With 10 holes left he was six-over-par - three outside the predicted cut-off point - but he fought back for a 73 to sneak in.

"That's as much pressure as I've ever felt," said the Hampshire golfer, who was second in the Order of Merit in 1991. "I would compare it to the Ryder Cup.