Lee Westwood confirmed his place at The 153rd Open at Royal Portrush by coming through the Final Qualifying competition for the event.
Westwood topped one of the two-round events taking place across four different venues on Tuesday, with the Englishman shooting seven-under par at Dundonald Links in Scotland.
Playing at Royal Cinque Ports, both Ian Poulter and his 21-year-old son Luke Poulter failed to qualify as they finished outside the top five and that advance to the final major of the year, which begins on July 17 in Northern Ireland.
Westwood, 52, who will play in golf’s oldest championship for a 28th time after a two-year absence, had flown in from Dallas where he had been competing in Sunday’s LIV Golf event.
“I’ve been up since half-past one this morning with jet lag so I was starting to feel it,” said Westwood, whose move to the breakaway series removed his chances of qualifying for majors through regular tour events.
Lee Westwood has not played at the last two editions of the tournament
“I haven’t tried to qualify for the last couple of years for one reason or another.
“Royal Portrush is a fantastic golf course and I played well there last time, finished fourth in 2019, so that was another reason to come and play.
“The Open Championship is the greatest tournament on the golfing calendar. I’m not getting any younger, I’m 52 now.”
Ian Poulter at least finished the day with some pride intact as, having trailed Luke all day in the scoring, he ended up level with his 21-year-old son on one under.
Ian Poulter (L) and his son Luke both failed to qualify
Luke followed an opening 67 with a 76 at Royal Cinque Ports in Kent, with his dad shooting 72-71, as they and former US Open champion Graeme McDowell finished just short.
“I played good on the first 18, the last 18 not great,” said Luke.
LIV golfer Dean Burmester topped the leaderboard at Royal Cinque Ports after a brilliant eight-under, second-round 64 lifted him to 10 under.
That was three better than Nathan Kimsey – whose professional golfer girlfriend Lauren Taylor won the 2011 Women’s Amateur at Portrush – and Curtis Knipes, who qualified for the 2019 Open.
Derbyshire amateur Sebastian Cave and Dane John Axelsen completed the five qualifiers.
At Dundonald, amateur Connor Graham won a play-off to join fellow Scot Daniel Young, Spain’s Angel Hidalgo, Swede Jesper Sandborg and Westwood in qualifying.
Another LIV golfer, Lucas Herbert, finished top at West Lancashire, near Liverpool, with an eight-under total after rounds of 69 and 67.
That was one better than China’s Sampson Zheng, with England’s George Bloor third and amateur Richard Teder – who holed out from the fairway for eagle at the third extra hole to become the first Estonian to play at The Open – and Finland’s Oliver Lindell coming through a four-man play-off.
England’s Jacob McGoldrick endured a rollercoaster end to his qualifying as a hole-in-one at the 15th put him in line to progress, only to card two late bogeys to miss the play-off by one.
At Burnham & Berrow in Somerset, Cornwall-born PGA Tour winner Harry Hall qualified alongside winner Justin Walters, who finished nine under, Dane Jakob Skov Olesen, amateur Frazer Jones and fellow Englishman OJ Farrell.
Who progressed from Final Qualifying?
Burnham & Berrow:
Justin Walters -9
Jacob Skov -Olesen -8
Harry Hall -8
Frazer Jones (a) -7
OJ Farrell -6
Dundonald:
Lee Westwood -7
David Young -6
Angel Hidalgo -6
Jesper Sandborg -5
Connor Graham (a)* -4
Royal Cinque Ports:
Dean Burmester -10
Nathan Kimsey -6
Curtis Knipes -6
Sebastian Cave (a) -5
John Axelsen -4
West Lancashire:
Lucas Herbert -8
Sampson Zheng -7
George Bloor -6
Oliver Lindell* -5
Richard Teder (a)* -5
*Qualified after play-off
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