Scottish courses to lose out as Open qualifying made more 'convenient'

A CLUTCH of Scottish golf clubs have been handed a major blow after the R&A announced its latest change to final qualifying for the Open Championship.As from 2014, a new system is to be introduced whereby final qualifying will take place at four venues around Britain, regardless of where the Open is being staged, instead of four courses close to the host venue for the world's oldest major.

Glas

gow Gailes, on the Ayrshire coast, has been chosen as the Scottish venue and it is likely to host final qualifying for a period of four years along with Hillside in Lancashire, Woburn in Bedfordshire and Royal Cinque Ports in Kent.

"This alteration to the qualifying make-up offers a more geographically convenient way for competitors seeking to achieve a starting place in the Open Championship," said Rhodri Price, the R&A's assistant director of championships. "The R&A have maintained a very close relationship with all venues associated with the qualifying stages and this is a natural step towards continuing to offer competitors wishing to enter within Great Britain & Ireland a route into The Open Championship."

At the same time, however, it is sad news for the courses around Scotland that have been involved in the final qualifying process over the past 30 or so years and have played host to some top players as they battled to earn a crack at the Claret Jug.

In 1999, for instance, Paul Lawrie and Jean Van de Velde both qualified at Downfield before finding themselves involved in a play-off along with Justin Leonard less than a week later to become Open champion.

Australian Steve Elkington also came through a final qualifier at Dunbar when he made a play-off won by Ernie Els at Muirfield in 2002, while Lloyd Saltman won the Silver Medal at St Andrews three years later after he'd progressed at Scotscraig.

In 2006, the R&A moved final qualifying from the Sunday and Monday of Open week to the previous week, a change that was partly caused by the Scottish Open at Loch Lomond switching to a Sunday finish. It was then reduced to a 36-hole test over one day and, this year, final qualifying was held at four courses in south-east England a fortnight before The Open at Royal St George's.

Price revealed a decision by two Scottish amateurs, Michael Stewart and Ross Kellett, to forego their spots in Kent had played a part in the latest change.

"When final qualifying used to be held on the Sunday and Monday, it felt part of The Open as it followed nicely because players who qualified stayed on in the area," added Price. "For various reasons, including the Scottish Open starting up at Loch Lomond the week before The Open and not finishing until the Sunday, it became difficult to stage the final qualifying at the same time and it was moved to where we are now.

View the original article here