Open qualifier: Bailey Gill puts Lindrick knowledge to good use as Habib Khan leads Fulford qualifiers

On Monday, he required only a two-under-par 68 to finish second to Frazer Jones of Kirby Muzloe (67) and be one of seven players to book a spot at final qualifying next Tuesday.

He is likely to head to West Lancashire where the odds of progressing are reduced even further, but with the dream of a coveted spot in next month’s Open at Portrush at least still alive.

Lindrick was not a place for the big hitters yesterday in gusting winds on a dry track.

In a field that consisted of Lee Westwood’s son Sam, Paul Broadhurst’s lad (also Sam) and DP World Tour player Robert Rock, only four players broke par.

It was a day to leave the driver in the bag, and no one knows that better than Gill.

“I just went 3-iron on most of the holes, it’s too penal if you go off line,” said the Worksop man who plays a lot of his golf on the Challenge Tour.

“I wasn’t planning on hitting a driver, unless I needed to chase a few. There’ll be a lot guys hitting drivers and there’s just really no need to. Days like today are all about getting through.

“I thought level par would be good enough especially when it was raining as I was stood on the first tee. So I’m more than happy with a 68.

“That 64 from a few years ago doesn’t really matter too much. After nine holes today I was on the same score so I could potentially have gone and done it again but the wind was just too strong today. So I just thought I’ll stay in the moment and get the best out of it.”

And so it’s on to West Lancashire next Tuesday for what will be a fifth stab at trying to overcome the final hurdle. “I seem to finish 10th every year,” he smiled. “Hopefully this year I can stop that streak.”

His younger brother Spencer Gill was playing in the group ahead on his Open qualifying debut. The 18-year-old was stood on the 14th tee at one over but dropped five shots for a 76. Spencer has just finished his A-level exams and is hoping to go to America on a college scholarship after taking this next year out.

At the opposite end of the age range was another debutant in Steven Bulloss, a 45-year-old amateur from Tankersley Park.

The father-of-two who owns his own business was a decent golfer in his youth but had drifted away from the game. He got back into it a few years ago when he bet a mate that he could get down to a scratch handicap. Having done so, this was his Open Championship, and with his dad on the bag and mother and brother walking the course with him, his score of 81 was almost inconsequential.

Bulloss played alongside Lindrick professional Sam Rook, who like Bailey Gill was putting his knowledge of the golf course to good use by taking an iron off every tee.

His big challenge was jet lag. Rook only landed from an Asian Development Tour event in Morocco at 4am, teed off at 1.29pm and by 6pm was signing for 78. Tomorrow he heads back out to Morocco.

Joining Gill at final qualifying is another debutant, Julian Wood of Hallamshire, who shot a one-under 69. The 28-year-old only recently turned pro and was three-under through 15 holes.

“I had no idea how good that was at the time, I just knew a score around level par around here is always good,” said Wood, whose score was matched by Oliver Sullivan (Phoenix). “I had a nice run of birdies, but 16 and 17 were playing especially tough into the wind. All day I just tried to stay focused, plot my around and stay patient. You can’t be too annoyed if you make a bogey.

“The opportunity to play in the Open is massive.”

Only five players broke par at Fulford, the other Yorkshire course on the regional qualifying rota.

Huddersfield amateur Habib Khan led the qualifiers with a three-under-par 69, with Michael Hay (Hunley Hall) 70, and Oliver White (Pannal) 71, also advancing.