Relieved Levet lands late invite

Published on Monday 13 July 2009 22:46

FIVE weeks after playing "like a monkey" and then being disqualified from the qualifying competition, Thomas Levet was yesterday handed a place in the Open at Turnberry.

The 40-year-old Frenchman, who seven years ago lost a five-hole play-off with Ernie Els, steps in for American Brett Quigley, who decided not to take up the spot he earned for himself at the US Tour's John Deere Classic.

Given the news, Spanish Open champion Levet said: "That's cool – and I think I've got a chance. I'm playing well and I hit the ball low, which you need to do at the Open."

Levet is 82nd in the world and there are five players ahead of him on the rankings – Australian Aaron Baddeley and Americans Fred Couples, Pat Perez, Kevin Na and Mark Wilson – who would have taken Quigley's place if only they had either entered for the Open or not withdrawn from qualifying events.

At Sunningdale last month, Levet was furious at being given a start time of 6.39am, even angrier when he trailed by nine after the first round and even more livid when told that he was too early for lunch to be served.

He played the second round, but then was disqualified for signing for a wrong score.

"I still knew I could get in by playing well at either the French or Scottish Opens, but I didn't realise until last Thursday that I was so high up on the reserve list."