The Open Championship, St Andrews, 15-18 July
Coverage: Live on BBC TV, Red Button, BBC Sport website, with updates on BBC Radio 5 live Full coverage details

By Ged Scott BBC Sport at St Andrews

Streeter played in the Open for the first time as a professional

Lincolnshire's Paul Streeter might have made an early exit from his first Open Championship at St Andrews - but not before laying one old bogey to rest.

After carding a second successive 76 to miss the cut on eight over, the 43-year-old Lincoln pro admitted that his par at the Road Hole capped his week.

"I made an eagle on five on the first day," he told BBC Sport. "But making my par at the 17th was the highlight.

"I've played that hole as an amateur many times and never parred it before."

Starting the day on four over, Streeter put together five straight pars before dropping shots at 6 and 8, only to then birdie the ninth.

The whole experience has been brilliant Paul Streeter

But any thoughts of a recovery were ended by bogeys at 10 and 12 - and another one went at 15, before he finished tidily with three straight pars, including the one that gave him the most pleasure at 17.

"I was disappointed not to birdie the last after almost driving the green and then three putting," he said.

"But finally being able to put together four good shots at the 17th and make my par there gave me a lot of pleasure.

"If we hadn't had such a rough end of the draw things could have been very much different this week.

"But playing in the wind today did not bother me at all, apart from the hour-long break. It's playing in the rain that I can't stand. And, overall, the whole experience has been brilliant."

And, although he will be a year older when the Open moves on to Royal St Georges next year, Streeter will certainly be putting his name down for regional qualifying to have another go.

"I will enter next year for certain," said the man from Sleaford, who works at Lincoln Golf Centre. "I work out every day and am as fit as most on the circuit, so age is not an issue."

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