British Open Final Qualifying Preview

July 3, 2017 | by Chris Brauner of AmateurGolf.com

The 146th Open Championship returns to Royal Birkdale<br>(R&A photo)

78 amateurs are one step away from the British Open at Royal Birkdale; 15 spots are available at 5 qualifying sites

VARIOUS SITES IN ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND (July 3, 2017) - Final Qualifying for the 2017 British Open at Royal Birkdale is being held at five sites Tuesday (four in England and one in Scotland). There are 72 players and three spots available at each qualifying site, with 36 holes to determine who will make the starting field of golf's third major of the season, and golf's oldest major championship.

A total of 78 amateurs will get their chance to make it to Royal Birkdale on Tuesday.

Here's a look at each of the five qualifying sites and the amateurs to watch.

Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club, Deal, England

Qualifiers: 72, Amateurs: 16

World #16 David Boote of England was a quarterfinalist in last year's U.S. Amateur and finished 9th in the World Amateur Team. This year he finished 4th in the St. Andrews Links Trophy.

One of only two American amateurs in Final Qualifying, Graysen Huff of Eagle, ID finished third in the Terra Cotta Invitational earlier this spring and third in the South Beach International Amateur last winter.

Scott Gregory of England won the British Amateur last year, which allowed him to play in both the Masters and the U.S. Open this year. He also won the New South Wales Amateur in Australia earlier this season.

Josh Hilleard of England won last year's West of England Open Amateur and won runner-up in this year's French Amateur Stroke Play.

Jack Gaunt of England was the runner-up in the Welsh Open Amateur earlier this spring, and made the semifinals of last year's English Amateur.

Stuart Grehan of Ireland was the runner-up in last year's Scottish Open Amateur and South African Stroke Play, and recently finished final 32 at the British Amateur.

World #78 Harry Hall of England is coming off of a successful season playing college golf at UNLV, finishing runner-up at the National Invitation Tournament and the Goodwin Intercollegiate.

Claudio Consul of Germany is the #8 ranked mid-amateur in the AmateurGolf.com Mid-Amateur Rankings, and finished final 16 in the U.S. Mid-Amateur last year.

Woburn Golf Club, Milton Keynes, England

Qualifiers: 72, Amateurs: 16

World #13 Jack Singh Brar of England has arguably had the best season of any European in 2017, winning the Lytham Trophy, finishing runner-up in the English Amateur and Avondale Amateur Medal in Australia, finishing final 16 in the British and Australian Amateurs, and most recently finishing 7th at the European Amateur.

The other American amateur in Final Qualifying, World #52 Dylan Wu of Medford, OR finished 4th in the Jones Cup and had four top ten finishes this spring playing for Northwestern University.

World #29 Viktor Hovland of Norway was the runner-up in last year's European Amateur and finished 8th in the NCAA Championships playing for Oklahoma State University.

Alvaro Ortiz of Mexico was runner-up in the Latin America Amateur earlier this year and 8th in the Mexican International Amateur. He won last year's Aggie Invitational as a member of the Arkansas Razorbacks golf team.

Adria Arnaus of Spain is the reigning Spanish Stroke Play champion.

Notts Golf Club, Kirkby in Ashfield, England

Qualifiers: 72, Amateurs: 17

World #36 Kristoffer Ventura of Norway finished in the final 16 of the British Amateur after completing a successful college season at Oklahoma State University where he has many high finishes including a runner-up finish in the Querencia Cabo Collegiate.

Marco Penge of England, a former Scottish Amateur champion, has runner-up finishes this year in the Spanish International Amateur and the New South Wales Amateur.

Stefano Mazzoli of Italy, who won the European Amateur and Orlando International Amateur in 2015, was a quarterfinalist in the recent British Amateur at Royal St. George's.

World #58 Paul McBride of Ireland is also coming off of a quarterfinal finish in the British Amateur, after finishing runner-up in the ACC Championship as a member of the Wake Forest

Australian Haydn Barron had a 4th place finish in the Riversdale Cup back home, and then came over to England and finish 8th at the English Amateur (Brabazon Trophy).

Daniel Brown won last year's English Amateur and North of England Open Amateur championships.

World #73 Ben Ferguson of Australia finished third in the St. Andrews Links Trophy last month, after finishing runner-up in the South Australia Amateur Classic.

Zach Galliford of Wales won last year's Welsh Amateur Championship.

Gailes Links, Irvine, Scotland

Qualifiers: 72, Amateurs: 15

World #21 Matthew Jordan of England won the prestigious St. Andrews Links Trophy last month and was also the runner-up in the Scottish Amateur.

World #38 Robert MacIntyre of Scotland, who was the runner-up in the British Amateur last year and who made the semifinals of the Australian Amateur this past winter, is coming off a 4th place finish in last week's European Amateur.

World #40 Connor Syme of Scotland, last year's Australian Amateur champion who also made match play at the U.S. Amateur, was the runner-up in the African Amateur Stroke Play earlier this year.

World #47 Liam Johnston of Scotland has two big wins this year, winning the Scottish Amateur after winning the African Amateur Stroke Play early in the season.

World #70 Craig Howie of Scotland comes into the qualifier playing well, recently finishing 3rd in the Scottish Amateur, 9th in the St. Andrews Links Trophy, and Final 32 in the British Amateur.

George Duncan was the winner of last year's Scottish Amateur Championship.

Craig Ross of Scotland won last year's South African Match Play Championship.

Hillside Golf Club, Southport, England

Qualifiers: 72, Amateurs: 14

Evan Griffith of Wales was a semifinalist in last year's Australian Amateur and a quarterfinalist this year.

Joshua McMahon of England was the runner-up at this year's Portuguese International Amateur as well as the Duncan Putter.

About the British Open Final Qualifying

36 hole stroke play qualifier for professionals and amateurs held at multiple sites in England and Scotland. Preceded by 18 hole regional qualifying held at various sites across the UK and Ireland the previous week.

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