Race to make The Open: 10 players to watch in Final Qualifying at Dundonald Links
One of the longest days in golf is almost upon us as a total of 288 players battle it out at four venues for a minimum of 16 spots in the 152nd Open at Royal Troon.
Final Qualifying for the Claret Jug event is being held on Tuesday, when the golfing spotlight will turn on Burnham & Berrow, Dundonald Links, Royal Cinque Ports and West Lancashire.
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Hide AdAll four venues are playing host to some of the game’s most-recognisable names, with former US Open and Olympic champion Justin Rose set to be among the hopefuls at Burnham & Berrow in Somerset while 2017 Masters winner Sergio Garcia is teeing up at West Lancashire.


Since the draws were announced, a handful of players, including Scottish amateur Calum Scott and rising DP World Tour star Hugh McKibbin, have secured exemptions while the withdrawals at Dundonald Links include Rafa Cabrera Bello, the 2017 winner there, and Scottish trio Stephen Gallacher, Ewen Ferguson and Grant Forrest.
Heading into Tuesday’s 36-hole shootouts, Bob MacIntyre is the only Scot already gearing up for the season’s final major after earning his exemption through finishing in the top 30 in last year’s Race to Dubai on the DP World Tour.
Paul Lawrie, the 1999 champion, is also still exempt, but the 55-year-old has decided to sit out the event ahead of his return to Carnoustie the following week for The Senior Open presented by Rolex.
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Hide AdThe majority of Scottish hopefuls in Final Qualifying are heading to Dundonald Links and here are ten players - not just those flying the Saltire - to keep an eye on at the Ayrshire venue.


Jack Docherty
After winning his regional qualifier at Goswick last Monday, the Ayrshireman will be quietly confident he can produce a similar performance to the one at Glasgow Gailes in 2016, when he was pipped for the final spot on that occasion by none other than Colin Montgomerie.
Connor Graham
The Blairgowrie teenager, who created history last year as the youngster-ever player to compete in the Walker Cup, is aiming to be teeing up in the main event this time around just two years after winning The R&A Junior Open at Monifieth Links.


Kris Kim
The English amateur made the cut aged just 16 on his PGA Tour debut in The CJ Cup Byron Nelson earlier this year in Texas. A member of Europe’s Junior Ryder Cup-winning team in Rome last year, he’s also playing in the British Masters at The Belfry later in the year.
Tom Lewis
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Hide AdThe Englishman has a rich history in The Open, having won the Silver Medal as leading amateur at Royal St George’s in 2011, when a stunning 65 in the opening round was - and still is - the lowest round by an amateur in the event. The two-time DP World Tour winner also tied for 11th at Royal Portrush in 2019.
Connor McKinney
Playing his golf this year on the Challenge Tour, the Kirkcaldy-born Australian was among the four qualifiers at the same venue last year, when he birdied the second extra hole in a three-man play-off with Graeme Robertson and Craig Ross for two spots.
Patrick Rodgers
Now a PGA Tour player, the American won 11 times, tying the record set by Tiger Woods, when he was at Stanford University and also spent 16 weeks as No 1 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. He’s made the cut in five US Opens but has never played in The Open.
Graeme Robertson
The player who currently holds both the PGA Scottish Championship at Northern Open titles will be hoping history repeats itself after he was one of the players to progress at the Ayrshire venue last year, holing a monster at the fifth extra hole to edge out compatriot Craig Ross.
Robert Rock
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Hide AdThough the Englishman is no longer playing on the DP World Tour, where he won twice and made more than 460 appearances, he qualified for this year’s US Open and is now bidding to secure his first outing in The Open since 2019, having also played at Troon three years earlier.
Peter Uihlein
The American, who is among a posse of LIV Golf players bidding to come through the two-round test across the four venues, was a world amateur No 1 as he came through the ranks before being crowned as the DP World Tour Rookie of the Year in 2013.
Marc Warren
The four-time DP World Tour winner secured his fifth Open appearance at Royal Liverpool 12 months ago through the DP World Tour’s Made in Himmerland event in Denmark, but, as a Challenge Tour player after losing his seat at the top table at the end of last season, this is only path this time around.
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