Archer arrows in on card

Archer says his mental approach has improved

Philip Archer continued to play the best golf of his life at the European tour qualifying school at Emporda in Spain on Tuesday.

Already two ahead after four of the six rounds, the 30-year-old from Warrington went to the turn in 29 shots for the first time in his career and with 18 holes to go is now four clear.

Archer has failed on seven of his previous eight visits to the school, but he started seeing sports psychologist Karl Morris this year and it appears to be working wonders.

  Leading positions

1 Philip Archer

2 Per Nyman

3 Andrew Marshall

4 Phil Golding

"It is all really sorted out in the head," he said after a 65 moved him 27 under par at an event which tests mental strength like few others.

"My main error in the past was not being able to take a bad shot out of the mind.

"That's what we have been working on, from the putting outwards - just not looking ahead and not looking back."

Sweden's Per Nyman is his nearest challenger to Archer on 23 under, while Norfolk's Andrew Marshall lies third and Luton's Phil Golding fourth.

It is make-or-break time for former tour winners Paul Broadhurst, Mark Mouland, Russell Claydon and Stuart Cage.

Only the top 35 and ties are rewarded with tour cards at the end of the marathon and Broadhurst lies 36th, Mouland 41st and Claydon and Cage joint 50th.

But they all still have a chance as they are separated by only two strokes.