Almost 2,000 amateur and professional golfers took part in Regional Qualifying for the 2024 Open Championship yesterday (June 24), with just 100 players progressing through to Final Qualifying on July 2.
There were 15 Regional Qualifiers around the country, with the Southeast region’s events being held Rochester & Cobham, Moor Park, Bearwood Lakes, Ferndown and North Hants.
Royal Blackheath’s professional Freddie Price led the field at Rochester & Cobham with an eight-under-par 63. Price finished ahead of Thanet’s Max Orrin (The Drift) and Canterbury’s Josh Bristow, a PGA trainee at Queenwood Golf Club in Surrey. Faversham’s Robin Wells and Rochester & Cobham’s head professional Warren Wood are also through after finishing on four-under-par.
The next seven were tied on three-under, which meant a play-off for the final two places. Nevill Golf Club’s Jonathan Exon-Taylor and Chart Hills’ Nicholas Olson both won through. Among those missing out in the play-off were Matt Ford and a trio of home golfers in Jack Lee, amateur Luke Jenkins and Jordan Godwin. Sene Valley’s William Partner was also among the seven in the play-off, just missing out.
Sweden’s Adam Wallin had a day to remember by equalling the course record 63, with the aid of two back-nine eagles, at Moor Park in Hertfordshire. He was joined by American duo Nick Carlson and Ted Dougherty, Estonia’s Carl Enn Hellat, England pair Nick Woof and Matt Gauntlett, and South Africa’s Justin Harding, who has two wins on the DP World Tou to his name.
Corey Sheppard and Dominic Knight set a five-under target at Ferndown. Luke Metcalf, Billy McKenzie and Timon Baltl finished a shot further back, while Robbie Busher progressed on three-under-par.
It took a mammoth play-off at North Hants to determine the final qualifier, with Jake Sage eventually making it through at the seventh extra hole after four players had tied for seventh on even-par. Ryan Lumsden, James Cooper, Curtis Griffiths, Freddie Edmunds, David Rudd and Daniel Brown also qualified.
Portugal’s Stephen Ferreira (-6) and Peru’s Julian Perico (-6) led the way on a low-scoring day at Bearwood Lakes, with the seven qualifiers now confirmed. They will be joined at Final Qualifying by Daniel Gaunt, Benjamin Martin, Jack Floydd, Jack Kurzberg and Saptak Talwar.
Here is the list of players who made it through to Final Qualifying:
Bearwood Lakes: Stephen Ferreira (-6), Julian Perico (-6), Daniel Gaunt (-5), Benjamin Martin (-5), Jack Floydd (-5), Jack Kurzberg (-4) and Saptak Talwar (-4).
Caldy: George Holland (-5), Joseph Sephton (-3), Daniel Croft (-3), Stephen Croman (-3), Cameron Walker (-3), Marcus Mohr (-2), Stephen Capper (-1).
County Louth: Jack Madden (-6), Gerard Dunne (-4), Liam Grehan (-3), Jake Whelan (-2), Niall Kearney (-2), Jack Hume (-2).
Ferndown: Corey Sheppard (-5), Dominic Knight (-5), Luke Metcalf (-4), Billy McKenzie (-4), Timon Baltl (-4), Robbie Busher (-3).
Frilford Heath: Timothy Shin (-5), Niall Shiels Donegan (-5), Hunter Howell (-4), Sam Forgan (-4).
Fulford: David Hague (-7), Jack Buchanan (-5), Charlie Thornton (-4), James Freeman (-3), David Houlding (-2), Jack Trewhitt (-2), Adam Walker (-2).
Goswick: Jack Doherty (-4), Ross Munro (-2), Aidan O’Hagan (-1), Ross Laird (-1), Joe Bryce (-1), George Cowan (-1), Arjuna Anday (-1).
Hesketh: Jacob Davies (-2), James Horton (-1), Jake Hibbert (-1), Luke Quint (E), Jack Sallis (E), Francis McGuirk (E), Mark Young (E).
Kedleston Park: George Ash (-4), Charlie Box (-4), Robert Rock (-3), Henric Sturehed (-3), James Walker (-2), Jonathan Thomson (-2), Reece Samson (-1).
Kilmarnock (Barassie): Jonathon Keith (-5), Alexander Farmer (-4), Chris Somers (-3), Rory Smith (-3), Cormac Sharpe (-3), Thomas Craig (-2), Stuart McLaren (-2).
Minchinhampton: Eliot Baker (-8), OJ Farrell (-6), Josh Hilleard (-6), Jamie Dick (-5), Louis Boston (-5), Ash Mansell (-5), Nick Cunningham (-5).
Moor Park: Adam Wallin (-9), Nick Carlson (-6), Justin Harding (-6), Carl Enn Hellat (-6), Nick Woof (-5), Matt Gauntlett (-4), Ted Dougherty (-4).
Northamptonshire County: Robert Holden (-5), Joseph Quinn (-4), George Castle (-2), Simon Lilly (-2), Luke Northwood (-2), Matty Lamb (-2), Jack Cullington (-1).
North Hants: Ryan Lumsden (-3), James Cooper (-1), Curtis Griffiths (-1), Freddie Edmunds (-1), David Rudd (-1), Daniel Brown (-1), Jake Sage (E).
Rochester & Cobham Park: Freddie Price (-8), Max Orrin (-6), Joshua Bristow (-4), Robin Wells (-4), Warren Wood (-4), Jonathan Exon-Taylor (-3), Nicholas Olson (-3).
Final Qualifying will be staged at four venues – West Lancashire, Dundonald Links in Ayrshire, Burnham & Berrow in Somerset and Royal Cinque Ports in Kent – on July 2, from where a minimum of 16 players will claim their place at Royal Troon for the 152nd Open which takes place between July 18-21.