Thorpe, 21, saw off competition from across the east of England at Gog Magog on Wednesday when he shot a sizzling 69 to snatch one of the few places available at West Lancashire Golf Club on Monday.

Now the plus two handicapper must try to repeat his heroics over 36 holes on the north west coast with an invitation to the biggest golf tournament on earth waiting if he makes the top four from a field of 96.

“This was the first time I have had a go at Open qualification so I am really pleased with the way it is going so far, said Thorpe.

“My aim at Gog Magog was to shoot three under par and I did that so I was very happy with my afternoon’s work.

“I ended up with five birdies and just two bogeys and do not think I left a lot out there which is all I could have hoped for really.

“Obviously as I walked off there were still plenty of players to finish but I knew I had a good chance of making the grade and when I found out I was through it was a great feeling.

“Now I am just looking forward to final qualifying, I do not really feel nervous - just incredibly excited.”

By Monday morning however Thorpe might just be feeling a few butterflies but with his recent record the Burghley man has every right to be confident of his chances.

After winning the Burghley Open last month with a two round score of just 137 followed by the club title last weekend, Thorpe’s relentless work ethic is paying out some handsome dividends right now.

He added: “I work really hard at my game and for the past few months I have just been doing nothing else as I am now what you would call a full-time amateur. But it is working out and I am playing as well as I ever have so will go up there and just try to keep my recent form going.

“Of course it will be held on a links course which means if the weather is poor it will be tough to shoot low, but I have quite a lot of experience on these types of courses and should be able to keep it together.

“It will be tough but the thought of making it through to the main event is a massive pull.”

n HOT-SHOT Thorpe is not the only Burghley man within touching distance of this year’s Open.

Club professional Adam Chamberlain, 23, also made it through to final local qualifying after finishing on the same score as Thorpe with a 69 at the tough Cambridgeshire course.

Chamberlain also hit five birdies and dropped only two shots at Gog Magog as the pair mirrored each other’s figures, but unlike his amateur colleague, the Bourne man did feel he left at least one shot out on the course - luckily it proved far from crucial.

He said: “I dropped a shot at the 17th which put me on three under, and which at the time I thought would be crucial.