TOM Fleming is dreaming of teeing up at The Open Championship next month after a late burst saw him through the first qualifying round.

The Frilford Heath assistant professional birdied two of the final three holes at The London Club on Monday to make it through the regional stage.

He will now play in local final qualifying next Tuesday, where the final places at The Open will be up for grabs.

Fleming, 30, last made it through to this stage in 2004, when he was knocked out and admitted it was hard not to think about playing at Royal Lytham & St Annes with the world’s best players next month.

He said: “I’ve been dreaming about it, definitely – it would be amazing.

“To be perfectly honest I get very nervous on the first tee anyway, so if I got into The Open I doubt whether I would be able to pull the club away.

“But that’s why we play, to have an opportunity like this.”

Fleming was two-over-par with three holes to play, but birdies at the 16th and 18th saw him card a 72 for a share of fifth.

Former Oxford City champion Clive Bowler, who now represents Sonning, also made it through to next Tuesday’s final stage.

A round of 70 was good enough for joint third place in the event held at The Buckinghamshire.

He and Fleming will be joined at Southport & Ainsdale by fellow Oxon hopefuls Eddie Pepperell and Craig Hinton.

There was disappointment for the county’s other players Former Oxford United forward Jamie Cook, who has joined Oxford City for next season, shot 78 to miss out by six shots at The Buckinghamshire.

OTHER SCORES

The Buckinghamshire: Ashley Walton (Frilford Heath) 74, Stuart Allen (Chipping Norton) 82.

Clitheroe: James Oliphant (Drayton Park) 76.

Coventry: Cameron Long (Drayton Park) 73, Lee Jackson (North Oxford) 75, Liam Robinson (Tadmarton Heath) 78, Danny Phillips (Chipping Norton) 79, Ben Millar (North Oxford) 81, Jason Roberts-Newman (Cherwell Edge) 82.

East Sussex: Matthew Foster (The Oxfordshire) 76.

The London Club: Dusan Gavrilovic (Studley Wood) 75.