Scottish courses to lose out as Open qualifying made more ‘convenient’

As from 2014, a new system is to be introduced whereby final qualifying will take place at four venues around Britain, regardless of where the Open is being staged, instead of four courses close to the host venue for the world’s oldest major.

Glasgow Gailes, on the Ayrshire coast, has been chosen as the Scottish venue and it is likely to host final qualifying for a period of four years along with Hillside in Lancashire, Woburn in Bedfordshire and Royal Cinque Ports in Kent.

“This alteration to the qualifying make-up offers a more geographically convenient way for competitors seeking to achieve a starting place in the Open Championship,” said Rhodri Price, the R&A’s assistant director of championships. “The R&A have maintained a very close relationship with all venues associated with the qualifying stages and this is a natural step towards continuing to offer competitors wishing to enter within Great Britain & Ireland a route into The Open Championship.”

At the same time, however, it is sad news for the courses around Scotland that have been involved in the final qualifying process over the past 30 or so years and have played host to some top players as they battled to earn a crack at the Claret Jug.

In 1999, for instance, Paul Lawrie and Jean Van de Velde both qualified at Downfield before finding themselves involved in a play-off along with Justin Leonard less than a week later to become Open champion.

Australian Steve Elkington also came through a final qualifier at Dunbar when he made a play-off won by Ernie Els at Muirfield in 2002, while Lloyd Saltman won the Silver Medal at St Andrews three years later after he’d progressed at Scotscraig.

In 2006, the R&A moved final qualifying from the Sunday and Monday of Open week to the previous week, a change that was partly caused by the Scottish Open at Loch Lomond switching to a Sunday finish. It was then reduced to a 36-hole test over one day and, this year, final qualifying was held at four courses in south-east England a fortnight before The Open at Royal St George’s.

Price revealed a decision by two Scottish amateurs, Michael Stewart and Ross Kellett, to forego their spots in Kent had played a part in the latest change.

“When final qualifying used to be held on the Sunday and Monday, it felt part of The Open as it followed nicely because players who qualified stayed on in the area,” added Price. “For various reasons, including the Scottish Open starting up at Loch Lomond the week before The Open and not finishing until the Sunday, it became difficult to stage the final qualifying at the same time and it was moved to where we are now. The current situation is not ideal, either for players or administrators.

“We have taken a good year-and-a-half to make this decision and, while we were thinking about it two Scottish guys who had places in the local final qualifying in Kent this year through playing for Scotland in the Eisenhower Trophy turned down the exemption, citing distance and expense. One of them could have done what Tom Lewis did.

“It is difficult on the clubs, of which there are around 30, who have supported The Open for so long. But I have spoken to every one of them and we have had a good reaction. When it has been explained that it is for players’ welfare first and foremost, they can see it makes absolute sense.”

Scotscraig in Fife has been a qualifying venue since 1990 and was used last year by the R&A along with Ladybank, Kingsbarns and Fairmont St Andrews for The Open’s 150th anniversary over the Old Course. Graham Watson, the club captain, said of the change: “I think we’re philosophical about it, we understand where the R&A are coming from and we thought it was maybe on the cards. Clearly being a qualifying course is good publicity for the course and we do get a facility fee from the R&A, but the real benefit of The Open to us is the amount of visitors we get during the week when it’s at St Andrews and Carnoustie.”

Ken Hutton, the club professional at Downfield in Dundee, added: “It’s a shame. It’s been a big thing for the club, especially in terms of prestige and income, particularly around the time of The Open itself. We’ve only had it twice at Downfield since Carnoustie returned to the rota but both times the course has been incredibly busy.

“It’s been great to see players like Geoff Ogilvy and Padraig Harrington playing on our course. In addition Paul [Lawrie] and Jean Van de Velde both qualified at Carnoustie in 1999. From a personal point of view, I made it to final qualifying in 2007 and was lucky enough to get drawn to play at Downfield.

“Gailes is a great course, but it’s a shame that so many clubs will lose the honour.”