Golf: Marc Warren pips Gallacher to Open berth

Marc Warren yesterday qualified for the Open Championship after edging out fellow Scot Stephen Gallacher by just £754.

The top five players, not already exempt, in the top 20 of the Race to Dubai after yesterday’s French Open secured their Muirfield slot, with runner-up Richard Sterne, Brett Rumford, Mikko Ilonen, Thomas Bjorn and Warren the lucky quintet.

Warren was the luckiest of all after dropping five shots in four holes from the 13th in his final round at Le Golf National. A closing 73 meant Warren dropped into a tie for 13th, one shot behind Gallacher in joint eighth. That lifted Warren from 21st in the money list to 17th with £517,494, with Gallacher moving from 23rd to 18th with £516,740, a difference of £754.

Warren becomes the eighth Scot to qualify for Muirfield, joining Paul Lawrie, Sandy Lyle, Scott Jamieson, Grant Forrest, George Murray, Lloyd Saltman and Richie Ramsay in the event.