Last Qualifying for this summer season’s Open Championship at Royal Portrush produced its typical twists, turns and tales of drama.
A complete of 288 gamers have been battling it out for 20 spots on the famed Irish venue, with 5 locations on provide at every of the 4 qualifying venues: West Lancs, Royal Cinque Ports, Burnham & Berrow and Dundonald Hyperlinks.
Those that got here by included former World No.1 Lee Westwood, in-form PGA Tour star Harry Corridor and a number of DP World Tour winners Dean Burmester and Lucas Herbert.
However a number of huge names got here up brief of their bid to qualify for the ultimate main of 2005 which takes place from July 17-20.
We take a look at 5 stars who, just like the nonetheless unfit Tiger Woods, received’t be teeing it up at Royal Portrush.
1. Graeme McDowell
Age: 45
Open appearances: 14
Finest Open end: T5 (Royal Lytham, 2012)
Highest world rating: 4th
Lacking out on Royal Portrush in his homeland of Northern Eire will minimize significantly deep for former US Open champion Graeme McDowell.
G-Mac did handle to expertise that feeling when the course staged the occasion in 2019, making the weekend and ending tied 57th.
And after ending runner-up at LIV Golf Virginia final month, McDowell would have felt assured about reserving his place.
A 2-under 70 on his first lap of Royal Cinque Ports in Kent put him in good place however a second-round 73 left McDowell three pictures shy.
2. Ian Poulter
Age: 49
Open appearances: 20
Finest Open end: 2nd (Royal Birkdale, 2008)
Highest world rating: fifth
One other of Europe’s former Ryder Cup heroes, Ian Poulter, suffered the identical disappointment as his former teammate McDowell.
Poulter, an Open runner-up in 2008 in addition to an integral a part of 5 profitable Ryder Cup groups, completed alongside McDowell on 1-under 143 at Royal Cinque Ports after rounds of 72-71.
It means ‘The Postman’, who missed the minimize at Royal Portrush in 2019, hasn’t performed in a significant since 2022.
There was so almost redemption for the Poulter household as Ian’s son, Luke, seemed in nice place to qualify for his first Open Championship.
However Poulter Jr. completed bogey, bogey, double-bogey to complete alongside his Dad on -1. Three pars would have been sufficient to see him by.
3. Chris Wooden
Age: 37
Open appearances: 9
Finest Open end: T3 (Turnberry, 2009)
Highest world rating: twenty second
A former winner of the distinguished PGA Championship at Wentworth, Wooden as soon as had back-to-back prime fives within the Open Championship.
The Bristolian, who additionally performed within the 2016 Ryder Cup, tried his luck at close by Burnham & Berrow in Somerset.
He carried out properly, capturing a pair of 69s, but it surely was two pictures shy of the magic quantity.
Wooden has had some robust years however flashed some kind lately when seventh within the Turkish Airways Open.
4. David Puig
Age: 23
Open appearances: 1
Finest Open end: MC (Troon, 2024)
Highest world rating: 77th
Touted as a possible celebrity, the 23-year-old Spaniard minimize brief his faculty profession at Arizona State to hitch the breakaway LIV Tour.
In latest seasons he’s received twice on the Asian Tour and performed in 5 majors, together with the 2024 Open at Troon (MC) and this 12 months’s PGA Championship (T60).
He appeared to be cruising his approach by to Royal Portrush when taking the first-round lead at Royal Cinque Ports by way of a scintillating 8-under 64.
Nevertheless it all went horribly incorrect for Puig in spherical two as he got here residence in 40, signed for a 6-over 78 and missed out by two.
5. Erik van Rooyen
Age: 35
Open appearances: 3
Finest Open end: T17 (Carnoustie, 2018)
Highest world rating: fortieth
The South African received on the DP World Tour in 2019 after which grew to become a two-time winner on the PGA Tour with victories on the 2021 Barracuda Championship and the 2023 World Extensive Know-how Championship.
He additionally made the highest 20 in his first two begins within the Open Championship.
That included tied twentieth at Royal Portrush in 2019 the place he opened 70-68 to take a seat twelfth at midway.
However six missed cuts in his final 11 worldwide begins hinted that van Rooyen’s recreation lacked sharpness and his 2-under whole within the aggressive qualifier at Royal Cinque Ports was three swings too many.
Van Rooyen will mirror on the triple-bogey 7 at 15 in spherical two that in the end denied him a fourth Open look.
READ MORE: Battle of the hyperlinks: which is finest Royal Portrush or Royal County Down?
