Open hopefuls heading to Kilmarnock (Barassie) and Craigielaw for Regional Qualifier
More than 2,300 golfers set to do battle in bid to clear first hurdle for Claret Jug joust
A scramble for sports in the 153rd Open at Royal Portrush gets underway on Monday as 15 venues across Great Britain and Ireland, including two in Scotland, stage Regional Qualifiers.
More than 2,300 entries were received for the first phase in the battle to tee up in the second Claret Jug event to be staged at the County Antrim venue in the space of just six years.
The vast majority of the Scottish hopefuls are in the fields at Kilmarnock (Barassie) and Craigielaw, which is staging Regional Qualifying for the first time after replacing Goswick on The R&A’s list of venues.
Fraser Walters, a promising young amateur at Craigielaw, will be hoping to make home advantage count while the Mukherjee brothers - Cameron, Oli and Sam - have also played a lot of golf there, though Gullane is now their home club.
Others in the Craigielaw line up include Bathgate professional Joe Bryce, who will be aiming to take up where he left off when shooting a bogey-free 64 in the second round to win last week’s Arnold Clark PGA in Scotland Tour 36-Hole OOM Challenge at Hilton Park.
James Ross, the former Royal Burgess amateur star who is now a professional based in the US, is teeing up as well at the East Lothian venue, as is former Scottish Boys’ champion Eric McIntosh.
Keir McNicoll, the head pro at Carnoustie, is making a rare competitive outing these days while Borders amateur Jack McDonald, East Alliance champion Neil Henderson and former DP World Tour player Chris Doak are also playing in the 18-hole shoot-out.
World Cup winner Marc Warren teeing up in Ayrshire
Over on the opposite side of the country, recent Paul Lawrie Golf Centre Scottish Par 3 Championship winner Scott Henry is joining his brother, John, in trying to clear the first hurdle at Kilmarnock (Barassie).
Marc Warren, who won the World Cup with Colin Montgomerie in 2007, is also in the field at the Ayrshire venue, as is three-time Hotel Planner Tour winner Liam Johnston.
Others hoping to pass that test include Rory Franssen, a winner on this season’s Tartan Pro Tour, experienced Ayrshireman Jack Doherty and Craig Ross, who has played on both the Hotel Planner Tour and Sunshine Tour in South Africa.
Regional qualifiers are also being held at Bearwood Lakes, Caldy, Enville, Ferndown, Frilford Heath, Fulford, Gog Magog, Hesketh, Lindrick, Moor Park, North Hants, Rochester & Cobham Park and The Island.
Successful players at each venue go on to compete in Final Qualifying, which takes place on 1 July at Burnham & Berrow, Dundonald, Royal Cinque Ports and West Lancashire.
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