Australian Greg Chalmers booked his place in The 145th Open at Royal Troon by winning the Barracuda Championship at Montreux Golf and Country Club in Reno, Nevada
It was the final PGA Tour event in The Open Qualifying Series, which gives players a chance to qualify for golf’s most international major at Tour events around the world.
Chalmers held off a late charge from American Gary Woodland with an eight-foot eagle putt on the 18th to earn a six-point victory in the Modified Stableford scoring event. It was his first win on the PGA Tour in his 386th start after beginning the week as the active player who had played the most events without a victory.
‘I hoped it wasn’t 386 events, but it’s hard to win and I’m very thrilled and very pleased to get it done this week,’ said Chalmers after lifting the trophy. ‘I knew today would be difficult and that we had difficult conditions. I was blessed and I think that the guys found it tough just the same as I found it tough.’
The 42-year-old will now make his fourth appearance at The Open, with his best result to date coming in 2012 at Royal Lytham & St Annes where he finished tied-45th. This is the second time he has found success in The Open Qualifying Series, after he booked his place at St Andrews last year through the Emirates Australian Open in November 2014.
‘It was certainly on my mind going into today’s round. I’ve only played in three Opens so it’s always new and exciting for me,’ he said.
‘I’m hoping to take my whole family and some friends over there. I played St Andrews last year, so it’s huge.’
The qualifying place in The Open had originally been on offer at the Greenbrier Classic, but devastating flooding in West Virginia resulted in the cancellation of the event and the place being moved to the Barracuda Championship.
‘The Open is always exciting, I can’t wait. It’s such a great thing that The R&A and Barracuda have done for us, even though the circumstances that came about weren’t the greatest,’ said Chalmers.
From theopen.com
