Archer back on target in France

Jul 3 2007 by Richard Williamson, Liverpool Daily Post

PHILLIP ARCHER produced a battling performance in France to secure his fifth top 20 finish of the European Tour season.

The Birchwood-attached professional came home in a share of 15th place at the French Open.

Scoring was never easy at Le Golf National in Paris with winner Graeme Storm getting to seven under par to secure the top prize.

Archer started with a pair of one over par 72s before a strong finish of 69,71 brought him back level for the tournament.

It has been a roller-coaster few weeks for the Warrington player since he produced his best finish in the six seasons he has had on the European Tour since first qualifying in 2000.

Archer finished second at the Valle Romano Open de Andalucia in Spain, but then missed the halfway cut in four of the next five events.

However his latest winnings of 55,000 euros have pushed him further up the European Order of Merit to 59th, with 256,618 euros from 19 appearances so far.

Liverpool’s Nick Dougherty had been hoping to avoid yesterday’s final qualifying for the Open by a high finish in France but his challenge never gathered any real momentum after scores of 73,69,73,73 left him in 25th overall on four over par. That meant a dash to Sunningdale for yesterday’s international qualifying event.

There was further disappointment for Formby Hall’s Lee Slattery, who missed the cut.

ROYAL Liverpool’s Ian Keenan suffered an agonising 18th hole to miss the cut at the Challenge Tour’s Estoril Challenge de Portugal when a bogey five saw him miss out by a single shot.