The European leg of The R&A’s Open Qualifying Series – introduced for the first time in 2014 – yielded positive results at Royal Liverpool Golf Club, as Edoardo Molinari (tied seventh), Robert Karlsson (tied 12th) and Kristoffer Broberg (tied 32nd) all performed with distinction at the third Major of the season.
As opposed to staging individual qualifying tournaments, The Open Qualifying Series enabled players to earn their place in the game’s oldest tournament by performing with distinction in Tour events around the globe.
In Europe, the national opens of Ireland, France and Scotland each carried three places in the field at Hoylake for the players finishing within the top ten who were not otherwise exempt.
Karlsson, Molinari and Broberg were the respective leading qualifiers from the Alstom Open de France, the Irish Open and the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open.
While Broberg more than justified his place in the field with a tie for 32nd place on three under par, Molinari and Karlsson formed part of a valiant chasing pack and were, at times, even in contention for the title before Rory McIlroy claimed the Claret Jug.
Molinari set the early clubhouse lead on day one and eventually finished alongside former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel on 11 under par, while Karlsson threatened McIlroy’s lead midway through his final round before settling for a nine under total and a share of 12th with the American pair of Dustin Johnson and Ryan Moore.
