Justin Rose may have missed out on a place in the US Open by a matter of a few days, but he's virtually assured a place in the US PGA Championships in August.

Sixth place in last week's English Open moved him up to 44th in the Sony World Rankings and, with the world's top 80 eligible for the PGA event at Hazeltine National in Minnisota on August 15, Rose can virtually start packing now for what will be his first golfing major on foreign soil.

Victory in the British Masters at Woburn on June 2 took the 21-year-old Hampshire player into the world's top 50, a week after entries for the US Open closed.

Flying the flag for Hampshire in Europe this week is Hayling Islander Matt Blackey who ewas in good shape after the first round of the St Omer Open.

The first round of the event, one of the biggest and most lucrative of the season on the European Challenge, was played in testing conditions and as one of the early starters, Blackey had more of the odds stacked against him.

He quickly lurched to three over after four holes but rallied with birdies at the seventh, ninth and 11th holes then parred his way home for a round of 73, one over par.

It left him tied for 30th and in good shape to beat today's halfway cut. Blackey began to the tournament 30th in the Challenge Tour order of merit which is led by Poole's Lee James who was in good shape at two under par, two behind the leader, another West Region PGA player, Sion Bebb.