Herne Bay golf ace Steve Tiley enjoyed a memorable Open Championship performance at Muirfield.

A one-over-par 72 on Sunday meant Tiley finished eight-over for the championship for joint 26th place, which earned him more than £39,000 in prize-money, the biggest pay-day of the 30-year-old’s career.

Three years ago Tiley had enjoyed a first round lead at St Andrew’s with a six-under-par 66 on his way to a joint-68th finish, but had failed to make the cut on two other appearances in the historic competition.

In his final round, Tiley reached the turn one-over, though he did record a birdie at the eighth and completed the back-nine - which had caused him trouble all three previous days - in level par.

That was despite double-bogeying the par-four 14th for the second time in the competition, as he picked up birdies on the 13th and 18th holes.

On Saturday the Royal Cinque Ports member carded a third round 73, reaching the turn in level par, only to drop three shots on the way home.

He had made the cut with three shots to spare, after missing out by one at Royal Lytham & St Anne’s last year.

His second-round 75 on Friday took him to five-under for the tournament, though he again suffered on the back nine, bogeying 14, 15 and double-bogeying 17 before finishing his round with a birdie.

Tiley was frustrated on Thursday as his opening round one-over-par 72 could have been even better.

He birdied three of his first five holes to go to three-under but after reaching the turn in two-under, he came home in 38 after double bogeys at 14 and 18.