In a thrilling turn of events, Justin Rose and Dominic Clemons have successfully qualified for the Open Championship at Royal Troon. The 43-year-old Rose finished his day at Burnham Burrow on eight under par, tied with fellow Englishman Clemons after playing 36 holes.
Rose, a former amateur runner-up and a consistent performer at the Open Championship, has participated in the major every year since 2007 when he was healthy. Unfortunately, his ex-Ryder Cup teammate Sergio Garcia fell short of qualifying for the second year in a row, finishing two strokes shy of the top four at West Lancashire.
Three other Englishmen also secured qualifying spots: Sam Horsfield, Dan Brown, and amateur Matthew Dodd-Berry. Jack McDonald of Ayrshire also successfully qualified at Dundonald Links, just a short distance from Troon. Irish amateur Liam Nolan performed well, finishing joint second at this qualifying event.
The 152nd Open Championship is set to take place from July 18-21. Matthew Southgate, another Englishman, posted the best score at Royal Cinque Ports on six under par. Despite his efforts, Garcia’s low world ranking as a member of LIV Golf means he currently only qualifies for the Masters as a former champion.