Rolex Series

Renaissance course record sends Richard Mansell to The Open as trio qualify

Richard Mansell matched the course record at The Renaissance Club to play his way into a second consecutive Major Championship at the Genesis Scottish Open.

The Englishman's stunning closing 61 ensured he will tee it up at next week's Open Championship alongside countryman Aaron Rai and Swede Alex Noren, with the trio taking the three spaces available to the three leading players not already exempt at the second Rolex Series event of the season.

Mansell's appearance at Royal Troon comes after he came through Final Qualifying at Walton Heath to secure a place at last month's U.S. Open.

The 29-year-old has twice previously teed it up at his home Major, making the cut in 2021 and 2022.

Rai will also be making a third Open appearance after a closing 63 at the course where he won Scotland's national open in 2020.

His appearance at Troon will be his third at a Major Championship this season after finishing in the top 40 at both the US PGA Championship and the U.S. Open.

The 29-year-old is currently at a career-high of 53rd on the Official World Golf Ranking after a good run of form on the PGA TOUR and will be hoping to break into the top 50 this year and complete his set of Majors at next year's Masters Tournament.

He finished in the top 20 at Royal St George's on his Open debut in 2021 but missed the cut 12 months later.

"I really did not have those expectations going into today," he said. "I mean, any of the Majors are incredible. The Open is obviously very, very special. So yeah, just incredibly pleased and proud."

For Noren, it will be a 12th Open appearance having finished 23rd last season.

His two Major top tens both came at The Open in 2012 and 2017 and he finished in a tie for 46th the last time the event was held at Troon in 2016.

He carded a closing 65 in East Lothian to secure his place in the 2024 field.

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