Waring walks with the stars - but aims to keep his feet on the ground

Jul 16 2007 by Richard Williamson, Liverpool Daily Post

TOP amateur player Paul Waring tees up with the world’s greatest players in Scotland this week.

But while the temptation to slip his name into a practice slot for the Open Championship alongside a Woods, Mickleson or Els will be strong, the 22-year-old Wirral player is ready to resist.

Waring, an England international who came through the tough qualifying campaign to claim a prized place at Carnoustie, will endeavour to shut out the many distractions that surround Open week.

He arrived in Scotland yesterday, taking the chance to walk the course as he works on a strategy for the week at a venue which proved so punishing last time the Open was held there.

“I just wanted a chance to get a look at the course before the full circus of the Open arrives in town,” he said. “It will be tempting to try and book a practice round with one of the top players but there is a danger I would then go round the course in awe of them and I really want to prepare myself as properly as I can.

“I want to really enjoy the experience and as an amateur there will not be too many expectations on me. But I want to play as well as I can.”

Waring, who plays at Bromborough where he won the English Amateur title two years ago, qualified for the Open at his first time of asking and would love to return in the years ahead after turning professional, which he intends to do at the end of the year.

Before then, he has another big date pencilled into his diary, and he is hoping a big performance at the Open will help him fulfill another dream, of making the Walker Cup team.

Waring arrived at final qualifying having played for England in the European Men’s Team Championships, where he led the qualifying scores for the matchplay stage in which England finished fourth.

He was worried about tiredness but an opening round of 66 was followed by 69 at Monifieth to set an early marker for the rest to beat. But his morning start meant he had time to kill before knowing whether he was in one of the three qualifying places from a field of 96, which included several players with European Tour experience.

Waring took the chance to visit Carnoustie itself to serve as an inspiration in the event of a play-off. But when all the cards were in, it was not needed and Waring was one of three amateurs to come through from the venue.

“I’ve had so many messages of support and congratulation,” added Waring. “Which has been really great.

“A lot of people probably don’t realise how good the amateurs are. Most of us are playing full-time – we just don’t get paid for it. When we play events we play off the very back tees and courses are set up as they would be for the professionals.

“The English Golf Union has done so much to help us and I can’t thank them enough for the kind of facilities and knowledge they have made available to us. My coach Graham Walker also works with the EGU and working with people like psychologist Brian Hemmings is also a massive advantage for us.

“At the very top level there is probably not much of a gap between the amateur and professional game, but in an amateur event there may only be 10% of the field in with a realistic chance of winning. Out on one of the professional tours every single player is capable of winning.”

Unsurprisingly, Waring will see his arrival on the first tee on Thursday as a dream come true.

“In the same way as Wimbledon sees people going out on to the tennis courts to give the game a go, watching the Open helped inspire me to have a go on the pitch and putt course at Arrowe Park,” Waring added. “To think I am now in the same tournament as Tiger Woods is just fantastic.”

On his prospects for the week ahead, Waring refuses to get too carried away, insisting: “I know it sounds corny and cliched, but the only way to approach things is to concentrate on giving every shot my best and dealing with whatever comes my way.”

Waring will be competing for the Silver Medal, last won by an English amateur by Justin Rose at Royal Birkdale in 1998.

But Waring said: “I have not go to look beyond each golf shot or worry about its significance. I won’t be taking a look at the scoreboard as I go round.

“I will be very nervous on the first tee but if I can get away safely hopefully I’ll soon settle down. I want to stay in play as often as possible from the tee because it is much easier to be trying to save par if you have missed the green with your second rather than landing in the rough with your drive and trying to find the green with a long iron from a bad lie.”

He will have Wirral Grammar schoolfriend Duncan Robertson on his bag, adding: “He knows me well and knows when I need a push and when to back off.”