Ryder Cup captain Sam Torrance, fellow Scot Gordon Brand Jnr and 1995 runner-up Costantino Rocca all look certain to miss out on the Open this coming week.
After making the halfway cut in the Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond, all three stars elected to try for the 15 exempt places on offer in the tournament rather than play in the final qualifying competition tomorrow and Monday.
But Torrance triple-bogeyed the final hole to match Brand Jnr's third-round 74, and Rocca dropped to last place on his own with a 76.
Both Torrance and Brand Jnr are critical of the system which forced them to make a choice.
Brand Jnr, fifth at Muirfield 10 years ago, said: "It's ridiculous - we are being raped by the system. The whole thing is cock-eyed, and a lot of those on the European tour committee agree."
He was hoping to play his 19th Open, while Torrance had his sights on a 29th appearance.
Rocca, who lost a play-off to John Daly at St Andrews, has failed to qualify the last two years.