R&A unveils Senior Open qualifying venues

Three of the South East’s finest golf courses have been named as qualifying venues for this year’s Senior Open Championship, which is being held at Sunningdale Golf Club in July.
Bearwood Lakes, Burhill and Hindhead will all play host to hopefuls in their bid to secure a spot in Europe’s only Senior Major Championship when it returns to the Old Course at Sunningdale Golf Club from July 22-25, a year after the 2020 renewal was cancelled due to the pandemic.

Bearwood Lakes will host a Senior Open qualifier on July 19

A number of spots will be available for players hoping to tee it up alongside some of the world’s greatest over-50s players at the stunning Berkshire venue.

Burhill’s New Course (pictured above) was opened in 2001 and hosted Regional Qualifying for The 148th Open at Royal Portrush, while Bearwood Lakes, which opened in 1996, is set amidst 200 acres of beautiful Berkshire countryside and was one of the host venues for the Rose Ladies Series in 2020.

Hindhead Golf Club, which was founded in 1904 and ranks among Britain’s best, is a true Surrey heathland course and hosted Regional Qualifying for The Open from 2000 – 2005.

Firestone Country Club in Ohio will also host a US-based qualifying event for the first time. The links-inspired course will play host to Qualifying on June 21, in the lead up to the Bridgestone Senior Players Championship, which will be contested from June 24-27 on Firestone’s South Course.

David Williams, Tournament Director of The Senior Open Presented by Rolex, said: “We have chosen four fine golf courses to stage the Qualifying events for The Senior Open in 2021 and they will provide a true test of golf for the hundreds of players aiming to earn a spot at Sunningdale Golf Club. After last year’s tournament was cancelled, we are extremely excited for this year’s Championship and the qualifying events will be a thrilling start to the week.”

Johnnie Cole-Hamilton, Executive Director – Championships at The R&A, said: “We are greatly looking forward to the return of the Senior Open at Sunningdale and to the drama of the qualifying events at four such outstanding courses.”

The qualifying events in England are planned to be held on July 19, with official practice days taking place on July 17-18. The qualifying event at Firestone CC will take place on June 21.

To be eligible for entry, players must have a handicap of 0.4 or lower and to download an entry form, please click here.