AFTER failing to make it through his qualifying event last month, Bridgwater-based European Tour Pro David Dixon knew the Scottish Open was his final chance to secure a return to Royal Lytham, the scene of his Silver Medal triumph as an amateur in the 2001 Championship.

In fact, his spot in the Castle Stuart staged event was only confirmed following the conclusion of the previous week’s French Open, so Dixon hastily got himself up to Scotland to prepare.

On a course he seems to enjoy, he opened with a bogey-free four under par round of 68 and followed that up with a second day 71 to make the cut with a shot to spare.

His third round opened brightly with three birdies in his opening eight holes, moving him quickly up the leaderboard but he remained at the eight under par mark at the conclusion of the round and probably too far away to mount a serious challenge for the one remaining Open Championship spot available.

With scoring proving to be tougher on the final day, his level par 72 was his highest round of the week but it was still good enough to move him 11 spots up the final rankings into a tie for 36th.

With this result came Dixon’s biggest cheque of the season so far and will give him renewed confidence for his next event which is Austria in two weeks’ time.