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GULLANE (Scotland), July 16: Europe’s former Ryder Cup captain Mark James and ex-U.S. PGA champion Mark Brooks were the two big name casualties in a tough British Open final qualifying Monday.
James fired a disappointing 73 at Dunbar to miss out on Muirfield by a shot, having set up a golden chance with 65 on Sunday, while Brooks could only muster a 74 at Luffness New and was never in contention.
James, 48, had competed in 25 Opens in a row before failing to qualify last year.
Steve Elkington squeezed through for one of seven places from Dunbar despite a bogey-double bogey finish for a one-under-par 70.
He ran up a six at the last after hitting his second out of bounds following an errant drive caused by slipping on the tee.
His 67 on Sunday, which had set up his qualification, did not offer much consolation to the 1995 U.S. PGA champion from Australia. “I feel bloody terrible,” he said after Monday’s round.
Gary Player, the nine-times major winner, and 1976 U.S. Open winner Jerry Pate were both slated to qualify but pulled out through injuries, while a knee niggle prevented 1999 British Open runner-up Jean Van de Velde from qualifying.
Zimbabwe’s Abbas-Ali Mawji failed in his bid to become one of the youngest players to compete in the British Open after battling to a seven-over-par 76 in Monday’s last round of final qualifying.
The Watford-based 15-year-old amateur was set to book a spot in the main draw for the third major championship of the year after firing a one-under-par 68 Sunday.
But the Zimbabwean’s hopes ended when he struggled off the tee at the same venue in much stronger winds during Monday’s final round, running up two double-bogeys.—Reuters
