MALTON and Norton GC'S Simon Dyson fell five shots short of winning a card at the European Tour Qualifying School in Emporda yesterday after a final round one-over-par 72.

Dyson, 25, has played on the European Tour for the last three years but a broken finger that kept him out of action for a month meant he was required to go back to qualifying school after he slipped down the Volvo Order of Merit.

He shot a competitive 12-under par 416 over the six rounds in Spain and last year that would have been sufficient to secure a fourth successive year on the tour.

Other casualties included 1995 Ryder Cup hero Phillip Walton, who failed to get his card back for a fifth year in a row, and former top amateur Russell Claydon.

Ex-tour winner Miguel Angel Martin did survive the cull to retain his card.

Updated: 11:30 Thursday, November 13, 2003