The Open Qualifying Series came to an exciting conclusion today when Tyrrell Hatton, Nicolas Colsaerts, Matteo Manassero and Richie Ramsay secured the final four places in The 145th Open at Royal Troon.
The Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open was the final event in the Series, which offered 44 places in golf’s most international major at Tour events in nine countries around the world. The field for The Open is now complete, and the four will take their place alongside the world’s best players as they take on the challenge of Royal Troon’s historic links from 14-17 July.
Englishman Hatton finished runner-up at Castle Stuart with a closing 69, his best finish on the European Tour to date. The 24-year-old birdied the last to finish on 13-under-par, a shot behind winner Alex Noren of Sweden, who secured his place in The Open at the 100th Open de France last week.
He is now set to make his fifth appearance in golf’s first championship, having found success twice before in The Open Qualifying Series in 2014 and 2015, and also qualifying as an amateur on his major championship debut in 2010.
Hatton commented, ‘This will be my fifth Open now and I can’t wait. Sadly, I haven’t made the cut there yet but hopefully that will change this year. My swing is feeling good and obviously I’ve just came of the back of a good result at the Scottish Open so I’ll hopefully have a good week.’
‘I remember watching it as a little kid and always wanting to be there. The crowds are amazing and being a major everything is bigger. It’s just a great atmosphere and I can’t wait to play it.’
Colsaerts, a two-time winner on the European Tour, closed out the tournament with his second straight 66 to share third place with Manassero and New Zealand’s Danny Lee, who was already exempt for The Open.
The 33-year-old Belgian is set to make his third start in The Open, and earned his best finish in a Major Championship at Royal Lytham & St Annes in 2012 where he finished tied for seventh.He said after securing his place, ‘Every time you get a chance to play in The Open you are buzzing. I knew coming down the stretch it was looking like I needed to make four on the last just to make sure and lock the spot for next week.’
‘I felt for the last couple of weeks, like in France, it was possible but I didn’t quite do it. I was able to do it today which feels really, really good.’
Italian Manassero, winner of the BMW PGA Championship in 2013, finished with a two-under-par 70 to book his sixth start in The Open. The 23-year-old has earned two top-20 finishes in the Championship and won the Silver Medal as the leading amateur at Turnberry in 2009, after securing his place by winning The Amateur Championship.
Manaserro commented, ‘It means a lot. I’m really happy. I love The Open so much. It’s such a great achievement after a really good week in the Scottish Open, to be able to be there at Troon. I’ll really have fun and enjoy it.’
Home favourite Ramsay finished three shots back in sixth place on 11-under-par after closing round of 67. The 33-year-old Scot is a three-time winner on the European Tour and won the US Amateur Champion in 2006. He will now make his sixth start in The Open this week and join five other Scottish players in the field.
Ramsay, wanting to to better his previous performances in the Championship, said ‘I have played in The Open before and I feel like I probably haven’t done myself justice. It’s a great chance, I’ve had better form this week to go out there and compete against the best players in the world.
From theopen.com
