Archer edges closer to Tour card

Philip Archer continued to produce the best form of his life at the European Tour qualifying school at Emporda here yesterday.

Already two ahead after four of the six rounds, the 30-year-old from Warrington went to the turn in 29 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 a psychologist, Karl Morris, this year and it appears to be working. "It is all really sorted out in the head," he said after a 65 moved him to a 27-under-par total of 330.

Sweden's Per Nyman is Archer's nearest challenger on 23 under, while Norfolk's Andrew Marshall lies third and Luton's Phil Golding fourth. It is make-or-break time now, however, 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 are all separated by only two strokes.