He couldn’t, could he? It’s almost 20 years since Raymond Russell finished in a share of fourth place in the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale and the Scot overcame the first hurdle in his bid to make a return to the Southport links as he came through the regional qualifier at Sandy Lodge in Hertfordshire yesterday
The 44-year-old European Tour winner enjoyed one of his most notable results at Birkdale back in 1998 when he finished alongside Jesper Parnevik, Jim Furyk and a scrawny, teenage Justin Rose in that year’s Open.
Tiger Woods finished a shot better off than Russell while Mark O’Meara, the eventual champion in a play-off, was only two strokes ahead.
A two-under 68 in the 18-hole shoot-out yesterday ensured that Russell grabbed one of the eight qualifying spots up for grabs.
There’s still plenty of work to do, of course. Russell will now head to the 36-hole final qualifier next week where a total of just 12 Open places from four different venues will be on offer.
At Panmure, one of 13 host venues to the regional qualifying round, the local duo of Keir McNicoll and and Will Porter used their knowledge to good effect as they claimed two of just four spots available with two-under 68s.
Glasgow’s Paul Shields birdied the first hole of a three-man play-off to make it to the final stage after finishing with a 69.
Amid the dreaming spires of Oxford, meanwhile, Largs pro Paul Robinson kept his Open dream alive as he posted a two-under 70 at Frilford Heath to share top spot.
Glenbervie’s Fraser Moore also made the grade with a 71 while Ryan Campbell of Falkirk emerged from a 10-man play-off to seize the last qualifying place.
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