R&A announces Open qualifying revamp

Published on Tuesday 19 May 2009 23:17

FROM next year, final qualifying for the Open will be staged a week earlier and will be 36 holes in one day rather than spread over two.

The Royal and Ancient Club has announced the change saying it was "an attempt to alleviate a congested golfing calendar and make it more convenient for players". Four venues will also be used rather than three, with Scotscraig next year joining Fairmont St Andrews, Ladybank and Kingsbarns as a route into the Open at St Andrews.

For the 2011 Open at Sandwich, Rye now joins Prince's, Royal Cinque Ports and Littlestone, while for Lytham in 2012 West Lancashire is added to Hillside, Southport & Ainsdale and St Annes Old.

Meanwhile, Shane Lowry's stunning Irish Open victory has moved him up from 16th to sixth in the world amateur rankings – the very last one on which his name might appear.

The 22-year-old Walker Cup squad member, who earned himself a two-year European Tour exemption, is considering a switch to the pro ranks in time for next week's European Open at the London Club in Kent. Still ahead of him in the amateur rankings are Australian Scott Arnold, who missed the halfway cut by eight shots at County Louth, Americans Morgan Hoffman and Rickie Fowler, Canadian Nick Taylor and South African Nicol Van Wyk.