European Challenge Tour players secured nine of the potential 12 Open Championship spots available at four venues across the UK at Final Qualifying this week.
Tuesday’s Final Qualifying gave 288 players the opportunity to clinch one of the 12 coveted spots over 36 holes for the final Major Championship of the year at Royal Portrush Golf Club later this month and it was Challenge Tour players who shone by earning 75 per cent of available places.
A trio of Challenge Tour players secured their spots in the field for the Championship’s historic return to Northern Ireland later this month with impressive performances at St Annes Old Links.
Jack Senior was the leading qualifier at the Lancashire venue to secure his spot in the final Major Championship of the season for the second consecutive year after carding five consecutive birdies in his second round. The Englishman was joined at the top of the leaderboard by compatriot Garrick Porteous who, in identical fashion to Senior, fired a pair of 67s to guarantee his second appearance in golf’s oldest Major after making his debut in the tournament at Muirfield in 2014.
Matthew Baldwin sealed the final spot, holding his nerve to seal his berth at Royal Portrush with a birdie on the final hole.
All three headed straight from the venue to Central Europe, where they will compete this week in the D+D REAL Slovakia Challenge.
Connor Syme, who has one victory to his name this season at the Turkish Airlines Open, earned his place in the field with a standout performance at Fairmont St Andrews.
The Scot, who progressed through Final Qualifying at Gailes Links in 2017 to make his maiden start in a Major Championship at Royal Birkdale, fired two rounds of 67 to finish in second place behind 22-year-old American amateur Brandon Wu. Syme will be hoping that a run to the semi-finals at Royal Portrush in the 2014 Amateur Championship can equip him with the experience needed to record a strong finish in his second Open Championship appearance.
Syme’s compatriot Sam Locke made a fantastic up-and-down on his final hole at the Scottish venue to ensure he’ll be making his second consecutive Open Championship start. The 20-year-old joined an illustrious list at Carnoustie Golf Links last year as he was awarded the Silver Medal, the prize given to the highest-placed amateur.
Meanwhile, Andrew Wilson led the qualifiers at Notts Hollinwell with rounds of 69 and 68 to finish a shot clear of amateur Thomas Thurloway, while Englishman Ashton Turner snagged the final spot available on the third playoff hole.
Callum Shinkwin was pipped to the top of the leaderboard at Prince’s Golf Club by 18-year-old amateur Curtis Knipes but still ensured he’ll be in Northern Ireland with a second round seven under par 65, while Canadian Austin Connelly booked his ticket to Royal Portrush with a 36-hole total of eight under par to grab the third and final qualification spot.
