Darren Clarke's hopes of getting into the Open at Royal Birkdale hang by a thread after he failed to come through the 36-hole qualifier at Sunningdale.

The Ulsterman was targeting one of the 18 spots on offer but rounds of 74 and 70 left him well back on four over.

Paul McGinley, Jose Maria Olazabal and Rory McIlroy also failed to qualify and Thomas Bjorn pulled out with an injury.

Simon Wakefield and Ariel Canete topped qualifying on seven under with Anthony Wall among those going through.

Johan Edfors, Jean-Baptiste Gonnet, Ross Fisher and Gregory Bourdy finished on six under.

Ten players progressed on five under - Paul Waring, Thomas Aiken, Alexander Noren, Pelle Edberg, Wall, Jose-Filipe Lima, David Horsey, Martin Wiegele, Philip Archer and Steve Webster.

The six players on four under, including Olazabal, chased the two remaining places in a play-off with Simon Dyson and Peter Baker prevailing.

Double Masters champion Olazabal, who hit back from an opening 71 with a second-round 65, is now set to take another lengthy break from golf.

The Spaniard is still struggling with fatigue after returning in March from seven months out with rheumatism.

His last appearance just over a month ago saw him miss the cut in the BMW PGA Championship for the first time in his career.

"I'm going home to take a rest and see if everything keeps improving," he said.

"Because it's the Open it was a good reason to come, but it was basically a test for me. I haven't played at all and can't practise much, so I wasn't really expecting great things.

"The doctors have taken one of my medicines away, but we have to do this gradually to see if I improve.

"It's going to take two months at least to see if my body is cured. I feel like practising, but I just get tired and can't hit balls and play 18 holes in the same day.

"But at least my lower back is not getting as tight as it did before and that's positive. I have to really look for those signs."

Clarke's only remaining chances of making it are to finish in the top five either in the European Open or the Scottish Open.

The Ryder Cup hero has played in every Open since 1991.

"I'm obviously bitterly disappointed, but in fairness I got what I deserved," he said.

Clarke, runner-up to Justin Leonard at Troon in 1997, added: "I can't moan about anything. I tried as hard as I could.

"I have not given up the ghost, but I've got to find a bit of game."

Clarke won the Asian Open in April but missed the cut in the French Open last week when a top-three finish would have got him into the Open.