Boyd went into a three-way play-off at Southport & Ainsdale Golf Club on Tuesday evening desperate to earn one of the last two remaining qualifying places for next week's Open at Royal Birkdale.

And he had to hang on until the sixth play-off hole to claim victory - his par five being enough to start the celebrations after rival Jonathan Lupton of Middlesbrough hit a bogey six.

Four qualifying places were available at Southport & Ainsdale following 36 holes of intense competition over two days.

Amateur Thomas Sherreard and Jon Bevan of the Wessex Golf Centre led the field and claimed the first two qualifying places with three under par totals after 36 holes.

Boyd and Lupton were then joined on one under par by Jamie Howarth of Stockport, resulting in the three-way play off to find the final two qualifiers from the four extra holes - the first, second, 17th and 18th.

Howarth was first home, qualifying with a par three on the first extra hole as Boyd and Lupton bogeyed.

Boyd then lipped out on the second play-off hole to miss out on victory and both players bogeyed the par-four third as the pressure grew.

Pars down four and five kept the nerves jangling, before Boyd finally took victory on the sixth.

The exhausted Cherwell Edge golfer, in his first season on the European and Challenger Tours, can now look forward to teeing up alongside the biggest names in golf when the Open gets under way at Royal Birkdale next Thursday.

Speaking to the Banbury Guardian just minutes after walking off the course on Tuesday evening, Boyd said: "It was nerve-wracking, but it is a dream to play in The Open.

"The pressure was immense but it hasn't sunk in yet. It probably will do once I get home."

"They are all good players but it would be great to play with Phil Mickelson or Sergio Garcia," he said. "It will be an experience and I just want to enjoy it."

Boyd opened his qualifying tournament with a one under par 71 on Monday but three bogeys in the closing seven holes of Tuesday's second round meant he finished level par for the day and facing the agony of the play-off.

For further reaction from Boyd see this week's Banbury Guardian, on sale Thursday.