John Parry hopes Open experience can translate to success on Challenge Tour

John Parry cashed his biggest cheque in seven years at the Open Championship despite coming very close to not even playing at St Andrews.

The 35-year-old from Harrogate had a big event on the Challenge Tour in Italy last month that came a little over a day after the 36-hole Open qualifier at St Annes Old Links.

“I was close to not even doing the final qualifier because of the schedule,” Parry told The Yorkshire Post.

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“I was prioritising the big event on the Challenge Tour. I ended up going to Italy still and doing okay so it paid off in the end – it can be weird how it plays out.”

Time to savour: John Parry teeing off during the Open Championship at St Andrews last week. (Picture: Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty)Time to savour: John Parry teeing off during the Open Championship at St Andrews last week. (Picture: Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty)
Time to savour: John Parry teeing off during the Open Championship at St Andrews last week. (Picture: Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty)

Parry actually needed 38 holes at St Annes Old Links after finishing in a tie for the final qualifying spot, but he held his nerve to book his spot at St Andrews via the play-off and then hopped on a plane to Rome where he finished 30th.

And the decision was further justified at the Home of Golf as Parry finished tied-62nd in the 150th Open after rounds of 69, 74, 70 and 72.

It earned Parry a cheque for €33,549.28 (£28,405) comfortably the most lucrative four days he has had playing tournament golf since registering a top-10 in the European Open in September 2015. Parry was a winner on the European Tour in Paris back in 2010 but has fallen on hard times since losing his status at the end of the 2017 season.

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“It’s been a struggle, especially with Covid as well,” says Parry, whose name has popped up on the 2020protour around the north of England in recent years.

John Parry of England plays his second shot on the first hole during Day One of The 150th Open at St Andrews Old Course on July 14, 2022 in St Andrews, Scotland. (Picture: Harry How/Getty Images)John Parry of England plays his second shot on the first hole during Day One of The 150th Open at St Andrews Old Course on July 14, 2022 in St Andrews, Scotland. (Picture: Harry How/Getty Images)
John Parry of England plays his second shot on the first hole during Day One of The 150th Open at St Andrews Old Course on July 14, 2022 in St Andrews, Scotland. (Picture: Harry How/Getty Images)

“I was on the EuroPro Tour when it happened and they cancelled the tour so I had nothing to play in, that’s where the 2020protour was really good because it gave me somewhere to play. I got back on the Challenge Tour off the EuroPro last year and I’m doing okay, 34th on the order of merit, so pretty solid.”

A long-awaited Open debut at St Andrews, and a positive experience and result to go with it, can only serve him well.

“It’s the mental side out here, having the confidence and belief in your ability,” he said.

“You play with some good players, players that have won multiple times on tour, but you play with them in practice and they take that practice play into the tournament, and that’s the real skill.”

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