DAVID Horsey maintained his reputation as one of the country's most exciting young talents when he staged another gritty performance in the Lytham Trophy.

The 21-year-old from Styal was in the frame until the closing stages of arguably the most prestigious tournament in the European amateur calendar.

But despite a final round of 69 he had to settle for sixth place, two shots off the pace.

Horsey knew it was a tall order to win his third successive event following his victory last weekend in the West of England Championship and Southport and Ainsdale Bowl a few days earlier.

But he stuck to his task manfully at Royal Lytham and St Annes and only a couple of lapses on the home stretch, which included a bogey on the 17th when he pitched into a greenside bunker after a perfect drive, killed off his hopes.

Denied

Then a missed birdie putt from eight feet denied him a share of third spot.

"I fought back after a bad second day but did not really get it going as well as I expected in the final two rounds," he said.

Horsey has opted to pull out of the Excel Tour fixture at Denton today to rest up ahead of his international debut for England against France which starts on Friday.

Meanwhile, Birchwood- attached Phil Archer hoisted himself into 47th place on the European Tour Order of Merit when he tied sixth in the Italian Open.

Archer, third in the Spanish Open a week earlier, carded a final round of 71 for a 16-under-par total to finish seven shots behind the host country's Francesco Molinari.

Carden Park's Garry Houston, the 2002 M.E.N. Manchester Open winner, shared eighth place after a 68 for 15-under.