Joe Dean is putting the dissapointment of narrowly missing out on qualifying for this summer's Open Championship to one side in the knowledge another opportunity soon awaits him.
The Englishman lost out in a three-man play-off at Final Qualifying on Tuesday, with countryman Matthew Jordan claiming the last of five spots on offer at West Lancashire.
However, through the launch by The R&A of the Last-Chance Qualifier to be held on July 13, where spots are open to those who missed out in a play-off, Dean is in line to take his place in a 12-man field to compete to secure the final place at The 154th Open.
With Dean not due to make the field for the Genesis Scottish Open next week and opting not to enter the ISCO Championship which runs in parallel, the brand-new event is set to represent his final shot at teeing it up at Royal Birkdale.
The 32-year-old, a graduate of Qualifying School in 2023, formerly worked as a delivery driver for UK supermarket chain Morrisons and his hoping his experience of competing in one-day tournaments on mini-tours will serve him well.
"I'm all for it," said Dean, who most recently played at The Open in 2024.
"I mean, I would play one-day events all the time, so hopefully it stands me in good stead and I'm playing quite well.
"Final, final chance to get in, so we'll see. Fingers crossed."
Dean was speaking after rounds of six-under-par 66 and 69 left him one shot off the early clubhouse lead on day two at the BMW International Open in Germany.
Across his last four starts on the DP World Tour, 14 of his last 16 rounds have been under par and confidence is high after a season's best tied for third at the KLM Open last month.
Asked what he put his recent performances down to, he said: "Try not to focus on golf swings too much and just play golf shots.
"That's basically the top and bottom of it really. It seems to be doing all right at the minute, so we'll keep trying.
"Today was a bit scrappier. A few more loose shots, a few more loose tee shots.
"Yesterday, I played really, really nice. So yeah, I'll probably nip to the range and have a quick look at things. Nothing too intense though.
"But it was a good day. A little bit more wind than yesterday afternoon.
"I'm always happy to be at the top side of the leaderboard."
