This was supposed to be the dream Open for Paul Eales, but Royal Lytham's resident professional woke up with a start on Monday.

A six-under-par total in the final qualifying tournament at Fairhaven looked good on paper, but it was not good enough to qualify Eales for the tournament in his own back yard.

Now Eales, quickly snapped up by BBC Five Live as the most expert of expert analysts, must watch the world's best golfers play his course without him.

Envious Eales will be as green as the lush Lytham fairways as the tournament progresses this week, but he remained philosophical as the tournament got under way on Thursday.

"The top players in the world are playing on my own back doorstep, but I won't be there," he sighed.

"I had my chances, both at Loch Lomond and then in the qualifiers at Fairhaven, but it was not meant to be."

Eales admitted he was disappointed in the changes to qualifying rules this year, which meant only eight players won through from the Fairhaven scrap.

But he conceded: "There are only 156 guys who can actually peg it up out of the 3,000 or 4,000 who entered the tournament.

"The axe has got to fall somewhere and unfortunately I got cut."

Eales has vowed to bounce back and promised not to sound too downbeat during his time on the radio this week.

"My game was in good shape and it still is.

Eales' cloud did at least come lined with silver in the shape of his media opportunities and the pride he feels in his immaculately-presented course.

"It's playing absolutely first class," he said.

"I have been fortunate to be the pro here since October 1987 and I have never seen it presented as well as it is now.

He added: "It is a credit to the green staff and the members here and the players who are playing this week are playing it as the members have done."

No-one knows their way around the Lytham links better than Eales.

Unfortunately for him, his course knowledge will now only help him find a shortcut home after a tough day at the office.