Nick Faldo confirms appearance at Carnoustie

NICK Faldo has become the latest former Open champion to confirm his place in July's Senior Open Championship, presented by Mastercard, at Carnoustie.

The Englishman, who recorded all three of his Open wins on Scottish soil – at Muirfield in 1987 and 1992, and St Andrews in 1990 – will join Tom Watson and Gary Player in Angus on 22-25 July. Faldo made his Senior Open debut at Muirfield in 2007, when he tied for 14th, before missing the 2008 event at Turnberry due to his commitments as Europe's Ryder Cup captain.

The 52-year-old made a return in last year's event at Sunningdale and finished just inside the top 40 as American Loren Roberts claimed the title after a play-off.

Corey Pavin, the current US Ryder Cup captain, has also confirmed he'll be playing at Carnoustie and tickets for the event, which takes place the week after the Open Championship's 150th anniversary at St Andrews, can now be bought at a discounted rate by visiting www.senioropengolf.com or by calling 0800 023 2557. Tickets can also be bought at the gate. One-day tickets are 25 and season tickets are 70.

Meanwhile, Scotland's Martin Laird is among those competing for just eight places at St Andrews when he lines up in the American International Final Qualifying on Monday.

Laird, who missed the cut by two strokes at Turnberry last year, will play 36 holes of the Queens Course at Gleneagles Country Club in Plano, Texas, in a bid to be at the Old Course.

Laird is joined in the field by Englishman Brian Davis, PGA Tour rookie Rickie Fowler, US Ryder Cup player JB Holmes, India's Jeev Milkha Singh, 1992 Masters Champion Fred Couples – who finished in third place when The Open was last held at St Andrews in 2005 – and Davis Love III, the 1997 PGA champion who successfully qualified for The Open last year.