WHO said golf fans are a civilised, sedate bunch? “I remember going to the Open in 2005 at St Andrews and Phil Mickelson threw a ball to me and an old guy tried to grab it off me,” recalled Connor Syme with a smile.

Yesterday, the 21-year-old amateur was involved in a scramble of a different kind in the Open’s 36-hole final qualifier at Gailes Links but emerged with the goodies again.

A tee-time for golf’s oldest major at Royal Birkdale later this month is probably a bit better than one of big Phil’s hand-me-downs.

Syme’s four-under tally of 138 over the robust Ayrshire links left him in a share of top spot with the mightily impressive American, Julian Suri, as the young Fifer earned one of just three Open spots up for grabs and bolstered Scottish numbers at Birkdale to five.

While Syme savoured his major moment, Kirkhill’s Paul Shields endured play-off disappointment as the clubhouse clock ticked towards 9pm as he lost out in a four-man shoot-out for the final spot when Australia’s Ryan McCarthy won through with a birdie putt of eight-feet on the first extra hole.

It was a tense old day, with nails being nibbled and stomachs churning like semmits in a washing machine cycle.

It was also fairly dreich with heavy morning rain leading to the squeegees being unleashed and more brollies on show than a night at the Marry Poppins Appreciation Society.

Syme, the former Australian Amateur champion, weathered the conditions superbly, though, and having opened with a level-par 71, he upped the ante in the second round with a fine four-under 67.

A putt of 10-feet for a birdie on the 13th was followed by a cracking 4-iron into 10-feet on the 14th which spawned an eagle.

It was a hugely profitable thrust and in two holes, Syme had made a significant leap which ultimately propelled him into the Open.

“I had an idea I was in a great position after that and coming in over the remaining few holes I just tried to play a bit more conservatively and stay in the moment,” said Syme, who is currently ranked No 7 on the world amateur rankings.

Suri, meanwhile, is definitely one to keep an eye on. The Florida-based 26-year-old currently leads the European Challenge Tour rankings and simply looks and talks like a man on his way to greater things.

A sturdy two-under 69 in the morning set the early standard and even when things got a bit hairy in the afternoon, his resolve and talents shown through.

A hooked 3-wood at the 11th which cost him a double-bogey could’ve rattled him as the tension mounted but his salvage operation was terrific and he unleashed a 3-iron into the teeth of the wind on the par-3 12th and made birdie. “That was the best shot of the year,” he declared.

His putt of 30-feet for an eagle on the 14th wasn’t bad either as Suri confirmed a first major championship appearance before heading for Edinburgh to catch a 6am flight to the Czech Republic for the latest event on the Challenge Tour. “I can sleep when I die,” he added of his fevered schedule. “This event was such a mental grind and I had to keep the energy up. It was peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and loads of bananas. It will be awesome to play in the Open because that’s the level I feel my game is capable of being at.”

For a spell, it looked like Craigielaw rookie Grant Forrest would earn a crack at least a play-off having moved into the qualifying zone during his second round but he slipped while hitting his tee-shot on the 16th and his ball sailed out of bounds for a costly double-bogey.

Forrest did make a 20-footer for birdie on the last but the damage had been done and he finished two shots outside the mark. “I had a seven on that hole in the first round and a six in round two and those were costly mistakes at the wrong time,” he lamented.

McCarthy, a 27-year-old from Tasmania, had to miss a flight to the Czech Republic due to his involvement in the play-off but it was worth it in the end as he came through to seal his Open place.

The Challenge Tour campaigner closed with a 68 which was concluded with a raking birdie putt of some 30-feet on the 18th which, ultimately, got him into the tie-breaker. "I knew I needed that to have a chance and I really cracked it and said 'God, hit the hole'," he said.

With five qualifiers taking place around the country, and just 15 Open slots on offer, Ian Poulter was the most high profile player to make it as he eased through at his home course of Woburn with a six-under aggregate.

Poulter was runner-up in the Open the last time it was at Birkdale in 2008 after Padraig Harrington mounted a back-nine charge to win the Claret Jug by four shots

“Job done," said Poulter. "Obviously going back to Birkdale after what happened in 2008 is special.

"You know I thought I had that 15-foot putt (on the 72nd) to maybe win or get in a playoff and then my Irish friend (Padraig Harrington) decided to go bananas on the last five holes. It was a great week, my best in a major."