Yorkshire golf: Hull's Steve Robins goes agonisingly close to winning Open spot

Hull's Steve Robins lost in a five-man play-off for two spots in Open Final Qualifying at Hillside (Picture: Chris Stratford).

Yorkshire county player Robins shot 69 73 in Final Qualifying to tie for second behind Heysham’s Jack Senior, who had a three-shot buffer against involvement in the shoot-out.

But Southport & Ainsdale’s Paul Howard and Woodhall Spa’s Dave Coupland were the men who went through while Robins’s disappointment was shared by Australian Scott Arnold and Scotland’s Jay Taylor.

Robins came the closest of seven Yorkshire players trying to get through at Hillside.

Also unsuccessful were Snainton’s Alex Belt (73 71), new Brabazon Trophy holder Jamie Bower, of Meltham (69 77), Moortown’s Nick McCarthy (76 72) and Ben Firth (76 83), Huddersfield’s Nick Marsh (74 75), and Hornsea’s Steve Uzzell, who was disqualified after an opening 75.

Ireland’s Paul Dunne triumphed at Woburn where Lindrick’s Luke Jackson (71 70), Howley Hall’s Marcus Armitage (73 74), Leeds’s Daniel Gavins (74 Ret) and Hillsborough’s Joe Dean (76 70) ended disappointed.

Hull’s Richard Finch went within three shots of a play-off place at Royal Cinque Ports (68 74) where Lindrick’s Bailey Gill shot 71 79.

Rotherham’s David Booth (72 73), Beverley & East Riding’s Michael Durcan (78 74) and Dan Brown, of Masham (77 WD), were unsuccessful at Gailes Links.