Waring’s Open dream has now come true

Jul 12 2007 by Richard Williamson, Liverpool Daily Post

ENGLAND international golfer Paul Waring was looking forward to a rare weekend off.

But instead of enjoying the Wakestock Festival at Abersoch in mid-Wales, the Wirral player will be heading to Scotland to join up with world golf’s greatest professionals.

The 23-year-old from Bromborough came through the tough qualifying campaign this week to book a place in next week’s Open Championship at Carnoustie – at the first time of asking.

The 2005 English Amateur Champion had never entered the Open before but can now look forward to teeing up in the same competition as defending champion Tiger Woods and Co.

Waring was back home on the Wirral yesterday and enjoying one of his few days off after he shot 66,69 at Monifieth to win one of three Open spots from a field of 96, which included several players with European Tour experience.

Waring’s unexpected elevation to play in one of golf’s four Majors has meant a hectic scramble to find accommodation for his week alongside the sport’s elite players.

“It was a struggle to find a place near to the course and we have ended up in a big static caravan,” Waring said. “It might not be on a par with where Tiger is staying but I am sure we will have a lot of fun during the week. Lots of my family and friends are planning to come up to support me, even if it means some of them sleeping in their cars, and that means a lot to me.”

Waring, who intends to turn professional at the end of a season in which he hopes to make his Walker Cup debut, is delighted to playing in one of golf’s great spectacles which attracts a worldwide audience of millions.

“It is the first time I have had the chance to enter because in the past qualifying has clashed with the European Amateur Championships,” Waring explained. “Playing in an Open is the kind of thing you dream about and while I want to enjoy the whole experience, it is important that I don’t get carried away by it all and continue doing the things that have served me well so far this season. I won’t be worrying about the scoreboard, just concentrating on each shot and trying to put together the best score I can.

“I will be most nervous about the first tee shot but hopefully the cheers of my friends and family will help me. Once I get that first shot out of the way I’ll be able to settle down and try and play my own game.”

Meanwhile it was back to the ‘bread and butter’ of the PGA North region schedule of events for Ormskirk’s David Shacklady, who shot a second round course record 62 at Montrose to book his first appearance in the Open since playing at Royal Birkdale in 1998.

He was playing in the Pro-Am at Knott End in Lancashire after making the drive down from Scotland.

The Mossock Hall-attached player had to endure an anxious wait after teeing off at 7.30am to see if his nine under par total would be enough to secure him an Open berth. And he was not prepared to take anything for granted after being denied a place from last year’s qualifying competition by one shot by the very last man in – Southport and Ainsdale’s Jim Payne.