Galway’s Liam Nolan has qualified for the Open Championship in Troon in two weeks time after finishing tied second in the final qualifying site at Dundonald Links.
The amateur, who played in the Walker Cup at St Andrews last year, shot rounds of 69 and 70 for a five-under-par total which was enough to make the Major championship, with four qualifying from the Scottish course.
England’s Sam Hutsby won the qualifier with rounds of 67 and 69 for an eight-under-par total, while Spain’s Angel Hidalgo equalled Nolan’s score of five under.
Nolan had seven birdies over the two rounds and two bogeys, a bogey on the 16th of his second round left him looking over his shoulder to stay in the qualifying places. But two important par putts from six and five feet on the last two holes ensured he would be playing in his first Major. Another amateur, Max Kennedy from Royal Dublin, was tied 12th in the Dundonald qualifier after rounds of 72 and 73.
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At a qualifier at Burnham and Berrow, Ireland’s Niall Kearney was tied eighth as former Major champion Justin Rose qualified in one of the four places. Graeme McDowell failed to qualify from Royal Cinque Ports as he finished tied 19th with rounds of 72 and 73. At West Lancashire, Sergio Garcia just missed out, finishing tied sixth with rounds of 71 and 70, one shot ahead of the K Club’s Liam Grehan as Englishmen Matthew Dodd-Berry and Sam Horsfield topped the qualifier on six under.
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