Open qualifier: Lindrick and Fulford offer dream of reaching Royal Birkdale
No sooner will the US Open have finished in New York on Sunday night, than barely 12 hours later the quest to make the final men’s major of the year will crank up a notch across the United Kingdom.
And two famous courses in Yorkshire will play their part on Monday.
Lindrick on the southern border with North Nottinghamshire and Fulford in York are two of 16 courses that will host regional qualifying for the Open, this year held at Royal Birkdale.
The two have become staples of the process to whittle down the best satellite tour players, club professionals and budding amateurs who hope to progress to final qualifying at just four sites the following Tuesday.
Those who prevail there – and there are generally just three or four spots available from each course – will then head to Merseyside for the 154th Open on July 16-19.
Just hours after the new US Open champion is crowned at Shinnecock Hills on Sunday night, tee times start at 6.45 across the country, with up to 12 spots available at each site. George Mason of Wath is the first man to tee off at Lindrick on Monday with players contesting just one round of the inland links.
Bailey Gill is the course record holder at Lindrick and a serial qualifier from the venue - he gets his round underway at 10.08am.
Other local pros competing are Oli Sullivan (Phoenix) and Julian Wood (Hallamshire) who have progressed from Lindrick in previous years.
Max Berrisford (Ilkley), the reigning Yorkshire amateur champion, tees off at 6.56am, with Rotherham’s Charlie Daughtry, another former winner of the county crown, among the field.
At Fulford, Will Whiteoak (Bingley St Ives) is in the second group to go out at 6.56am.
Tom Curtis (Spofforth) is a pro who knows what it takes to go all the way in Open qualifying, having negotiated the 18 holes at Fulford and 36 holes of final qualifying at to reach Carnoustie in 2018.
He is back for another bite of the cherry at 8.46am.
A couple of stalwarts of the Yorkshire amateur scene Richard Law (Normanton) and David Houlding (inset, Moortown) go out at 8.35am and 2.15pm respectively.