Kent's Andy Smith overcame a substantial lack of practice and a set of borrowed clubs to secure his place in next month's Open at Royal St George's.

Smith's playing time over the past few months has been severely restricted by an operation on a twisted bowel last year and admits he only entered local final qualifying because of the proximity of the events.

However, he was not hampered by having to borrow a set of clubs from a member at Maidstone's Tudor Park golf club, where he is attached, because his irons did not comply with new regulations as he topped the rain-delayed 36-hole qualifier at Littlestone with a four-under total of 138.

"I've not really been playing much since my operation and I haven't got much money at the moment," said Smith.

"I have been doing all kinds of part-time jobs to keep myself going - labouring, landscape gardening for one of my friends, and a bit of work as a carpenter's mate.

"I'm even using borrowed clubs this week, with one wedge that I found in my garage at home and another wedge that was in the lost property room at Tudor Park.

"It's incredible."

Smith was almost joined at the Open by the North-East's Chris Paisley.

Paisley, from the Northumberland course of Stocksfield, missed out in a five-man play-off after finishing tied second at Littlestone in Local Final Qualifying when he posted a two round total of 139.

Austrian Markus Brier and Burnham & Berrow's Lee Corfield secured their places at the Sandwich showpiece.