Will Bob MacIntyre be sole Scot in 149th Open at Royal St George's?

Time and opportunities are running out for Scottish players to join Bob MacIntyre in the field for next week’s 149th Open at Royal St George’s.
Bob MacIntyre tees off in the first round of the 148th Open at Royal Portrush, where he tied for sixth to secure an exemption for next week's delayed staging at Royal St George's. Picture: Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images.Bob MacIntyre tees off in the first round of the 148th Open at Royal Portrush, where he tied for sixth to secure an exemption for next week's delayed staging at Royal St George's. Picture: Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images.
Bob MacIntyre tees off in the first round of the 148th Open at Royal Portrush, where he tied for sixth to secure an exemption for next week's delayed staging at Royal St George's. Picture: Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images.

The 24-year-old from Oban has had his spot in the delayed event tied down since finishing joint-sixth on his debut in the game’s oldest major at Royal Portrush in 2019.

But, as things stand, MacIntyre is the sole Scot heading to Kent, with former winners Sandy Lyle and Paul Lawrie not in the line up at Sandwich.

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Lyle, who claimed his victory at Royal St George’s in 1985, is no longer exempt, having bowed out at Carnoustie in 2018, while Lawrie has decided to give this year’s event a miss.

The Aberdonian is hosting the Farmfoods Scottish Par 3 Championship at the Paul Lawrie Golf Centre next week, having also staged a junior version last week won by rising Blairgowrie star Connor Graham.

The Scottish hopefuls in last week’s Final Qualifying came up short in the battle for 12 spots before Grant Forrest agonisingly missed out on one of three places up for grabs through the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open.

Richie Ramsay also got close to securing one of the spots from the Mount Juliet, but all is not yet lost for the Scots who hold cards for the European Tour and Challenge Tour.

Another three places are on offer in this week’s abrdn Scottish Open on the main tour at The Renaissance Club while the Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge in France also has a spot up for grabs on the Challenge Tour.

Forrest and Ramsay are joined by Stephen Gallacher, David Law, Marc Warren, Scott Jamieson, David Drysdale, Connor Syme and Calum Hill, as well as Tartan Tour player Paul O’Hara, in having one last throw of the dice in East Lothian.

And, in France, that chance lies with Craig Howie, Ewen Ferguson, Liam Johnston, Euan Walker, Bradley Neil, Scott Henry and Craig Ross.

The final spot at Royal St George’s will be filled from this week’s PGA Tour event, the John Deere Classic, though a top-five finish is required in that instance whereas it’s the leading exempt players who make the cut in the Scottish and French events.

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