THE OPEN RELATED STORIES The Open Home Page The Open Scores Round 4: Padraig Harrington wins Open in playoff Round 4: Late bogeys cost Romero The Open Round 4: No final round charge from Tiger Woods Round 4: Richard Green equals course record Round 4: 18th at Carnoustie strikes again Round 3: Sergio Garcia in sight of first major title Round 3: Justin Rose boosted by round of 67 Round 3: Late problems cost Ian Poulter dear Round 3: Tiger Woods shoots 69 but still eight back Round 3: Chris DiMarco back in the mix after a 65 Round 3: Steve Stricker shoots course record Round 2: Sergio Garcia holds on to lead on Friday Round 2: Rory McIlroy claims Silver Medal Round 2: Garcia not bothered when he wins major Round 2: Phil Mickelson struggles and misses cut Round 2: Tiger Woods still in the hunt despite 74 Round 2: Weir jumps into contention with round of 68 Round 1: Sergio Garcia leads with opening 65 Round 1: David Howell happy with eventful 72 Round 1: KJ Choi happy despite late bogeys Round 1: Inspired Michael Campbell shoots 68 Round 1: Ruling overshadows Tiger's round Round 1: Last minute tip helps McGinley to a 67 Round 1: Amateur Rory McIlroy scores a 68 Top 20 favourites for the Open Tiger Woods targets third straight Open title Paul Lawrie returns to site of famous victory Colin Montgomerie backs European winner Draw for first & second rounds Seve Ballesteros retires from golf Jean Van de Velde suffering from unknown illness Wild weather day at Carnoustie Jim Furyk enjoys his low profile Phil Mickelson not worried about driving problems Peter Fowler aims to get career back on track Nick Faldo fears for "nice" Europeans No distractions for Tiger Woods Paul Lawrie still not getting credit for Open win Jose Maria Olazabal withdraws from the Open Rod Pampling seeks to change Carnoustie luck Sergio Garcia unhappy with Scottish weather Weather biggest factor in how Carnoustie will play Gary Player says some players take steriods Justin Rose seeks to break European drought Quotations about the Open Championship Course Guide: Carnoustie 2007 European Tour Schedule GREAT GIFTS FOR GOLFERS Golf Breaks to Portugal & Ireland Half Price Golf Vouchers InstructaCard - your portable pro! The Father & Son Golf Ch'ship Golf Insurance

Peter Fowler aims to get career back on track

Australian veteran Peter Fowler badly needs a good result at this week's British Open to keep his long and chequered European Tour career on the road.

The 48-year-old journeyman has been a professional for nearly 30 years, hitting the highs as well as the lows. His career plummeted after his only European Tour success, the 1993 BMW International Open, losing his card in 1995.

He regained it in 2002 only to lose it again at the end of last season and has had to rely on invitations and second tier Challenge Tour events to try to regain it.

If he could only have finished off the BMW International Open in style four weeks ago in Munich, Fowler would have been home and dry for a card for next year.

Instead he still needs that one big result that will assure him full playing rights, the season before beginning life on the seniors tours as a 50-something.

"I was lying fourth in the BMW right up to the 16th on the final day, when my ball spun back and into the water," Fowler told Reuters on Tuesday.

"I was tied with Bernhard Langer at the time but he went the other way, finished second, while I went all the way down to 34th -- all for the sake of 10ft, the distance the ball spun back.

"But, just as with Bernhard, it showed I can still cut it."

Fowler also showed some vintage form by finishing second in the recent Motorola Bintan event on the Asian Tour, where he also hopes to keep a card.

To help him rediscover his touch, Fowler has returned to his 70-year-old coach Ian Alexander, the man who first taught him 36 years ago.

This week he will have a familiar face on his bag too, that of his 26-year-old son Nick, who has quit his job as a customs broker to caddie for his father.

After qualifying for the Open at the Lakes in Sydney earlier in the year -- coming back from an opening one-over 74 with a 64 -- Fowler hopes his experience playing Scottish Opens at Carnoustie in the past will help his cause this week.

"I'm a steady kind of player, so probably a tougher course is better for me. This is the Open, though."