DROITWICH professional John Bickerton made a poor start to his preparations for the Open by failing to make the cut at the Smurfit European Open in Ireland over the weekend.

Bickerton, who booked his place at St Andrews for the 134th Open with a brilliant performance in qualifying last week, could not recapture that same form at the K Club.

Instead he ended the event 107th, alongside Irish players Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley, after recording a nine-over-par score of 153 over two rounds.

He started the event slowly, hitting a three-over-par score of 75 on the first day.

However, things went from bad to worse for Bickerton, who hit a six-over-par score of 78 on the second day to leave himself out of the running.

At the top of the tournament England's Kenneth Ferrie held off the likes of Thomas Bjorn and Colin Montgomery to win the European Open with a score of three-under-par.

Bjorn suffered a poor end to the event with a bogey six on the 16th hole ruining his chances of victory.

Because of his disappointing performance in Ireland Bickerton slumped to 105th in the Volvo Order of Merit.

Now he will be hoping to get back into form in the final tournament before the Open when he competes at the Barclays Scottish Open at Lochlomond this weekend. Bickerton has a good record in the competition, with success in 2002 ensuring his place in the Open at Muirfield that year.