Russell joins the scramble, ten years on

Published on 06/07/2008 21:48

RAYMOND Russell joins the scramble for a place in next week's Open championship at Royal Birkdale, ten years after he came within two shots of lifting the Claret Jug at the Southport links.

The Prestonpans pro is one of a host of Scots competing for just 12 spots in the 36-hole local final qualifying event which gets underway today at Southport & Ainsdale, Hillside and West Lancs.

Russell, a winner on the European Tour back in 1996, produced a closing 66 in the 1998 Open and finished in a tie for fourth behind eventual winner Mark O'Meara.

Russell tees-up at Southport & Ainsdale and is joined in the 96-man field there by fellow Scots David Drysdale, Graham Gordon, Wallace Booth and Jack Doherty, the winner of the regional qualifying round at Goswick last week.

Andrew Coltart, the former Ryder Cup player, competes at Hillside while Andrew Oldcorn, the 2001 PGA champion, is in action at West Lancs.

Other players battling for the four Open places up for grabs at each venue include Frenchman Jean Van De Velde, joint runner-up to Paul Lawrie in the 1999 championship at Carnoustie, and Irishman Philip Walton, who holed the winning putt for Europe in the 1995 Ryder Cup.