Regional qualifying for the 152nd Open at Royal Troon took place at 15 venues across the UK on Monday.
There are 100 spots up for grabs in the final qualifying round for the fourth Grand Slam of the year, with some familiar names already making the cut for the July 2 final, including two-time DP World Tour champion Robert Rock.
The popular British player made headlines in May when he reached the final qualifying round for the US Open despite retiring from professional golf 18 months ago.
His first round performance at the Pinehurst No. 2 Major was equally impressive, shooting a par 70 on Friday to finish T16. He was unable to maintain his momentum and ultimately missed the cut, but he was not discouraged and now has a great opportunity to play in a major again.
The 47-year-old showed up at Kedleston Park and did not disappoint, finishing T3 with a three-under-par 67 and making the final qualifying round.
He is far from the only high-profile player to maintain his Open credentials.
Challenge Tour pro Jack Floyd advanced through final qualifying to the 150th Open at St. Andrews, and after finishing T3 at five-under at Bellwood Lake, he has a chance to play the same course again this year.
He will be joined by fellow Briton Sam Forgan, who competed in the Major Championship in 2021. Forgan qualified three years ago and fans can follow his progress through the Road To The Open series on YouTube.
Sam Forgan could return to British Open after saying he considered retirement three years ago
(Image source: Getty Images)
Ultimately, he missed the cut at Royal St George's, but the fans couldn't get enough of him. After his career ended, Forgan admitted he had considered retirement, but he now has a chance to play in a major again as he qualified for the final after playing five playoff holes at Frielford Heath.
Jonathan Thomson, who tied for 53rd with a hole-in-one at the 2021 Open, kept alive his hopes of another major championship with a two-under 68 at Kedleston Park, the same venue where Rock made the final qualifying round.
Another notable player making the final round is South Africa's former world number 42 Justin Harding. The two-time DP World Tour champion and former LIV golfer is looking to make his sixth appearance at the British Open. He finished T2 at Moore Park on six under and made the cut.
Some familiar names didn't fare as well. YouTube star Rick Shiels also competed. However, after shooting an 81, he missed out on the title with a T87 at Caldy.
Rick Hills is among the players absent
(Image source: Getty Images)
Other notable YouTubers in attendance included Peter Finch and Matt Fryer. Earlier this year, Finch narrowly missed out on the PGA Tour’s Myrtle Beach Classic by one stroke over par in qualifying. Finch shot a 12-over 83 at Huskers and finished in a tie for 95th place. According to a message on his Instagram page, the result left him “dismayed.”
As for Fryer, he had a better performance at Fulford, shooting a 6-over 77 but still missed the final, though he at least had a hole-in-one on the second hole, which was some consolation.
Irishman Paul Dunne played in the 2014 Royal Liverpool Open, which was won by Rory McIlroy, but he didn’t stop there, as he held the 54-hole lead at the 2015 St. Andrews Championship before finishing in a tie for 30th place. However, that won’t be the case this year, as Dunne finished at 10 under in County Louth and missed the final qualifying round.
The final qualifiers will be held on July 2 at Burnham & Berrow, Dundonald Links, Royal Cinque Ports and West Lancashire, and are expected to feature several of the golfing greats who have yet to qualify, including LIV Golf's Sergio Garcia. At least 16 major championship spots will be up for grabs.
