Local qualifying to the Open enters its final phase

Jul 7 2008 by Richard Williamson

PLAYERS from around the world will gather on Merseyside today to try and clear the final hurdle in the race for a place in the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.

Three courses - Hillside, West Lancashire and Southport and Ainsdale - will stage local final qualifying.

There will be 96 players at each course vying for just four qualifying places from each venue in the field for the Open’s return to Southport on July 17.

The places will be decided over two rounds today and tomorrow with a number of local players harbouring dreams of lining up alongside the world’s greatest players at Birkdale.

At Hillside Europro Tour regular Mark Ramsdale from Formby will be an early starter today in the second group out at 7.12am. Also in action are Chester-based professionals Dale Marmion and Mark Sheppard, and the host club’s Daniel Belch.

One of the biggest names in action at Hillside is French player Jean Van De Velde, who is out at 11.46am today and 8.24am tomorrow. He was joint second in the 1999 Open at Carnoustie.

The line-up at S&A includes Caldy’s Steven Capper, in his first year as a professional, who won his first title on the Players Tour at North Manchester recently, and Ian Ridgway from High Legh Golf Club near Warrington.

Amateur Ian Winstanley, the former Northern Order of Merit winner from Formby, is out in the penultimate group at 1.15pm.

Former Cheshire Boys captain Josh Sims from Caldy is out in the second group at West Lancashire at 7.12am.

Two groups later Mossock Hall’s David Shacklady will start his qualifying bid, having played at Carnoustie last year.

Also is in the line-up is Heswall’s Sandeep Grewal while amateurs Matthew Baldwin, (Royal Birkdale), the twice Lancashire champion, and Tomy Boys (Royal Liverpool) have been paired together. Houghwood’s Barry Taylor is last out today at 1.27pm.

Other well-known names in the field include Markus Brier, Phillip Walton and Mark Mouland.

HILLSIDE: Matthew Richardson, Buckinghamshire; Iain Simpson, Fulford; Darren Bartlett, Erewash Valley; Robert Hillas, Northcliffe; Mark Ramsdale, Formby; Ben Briscoe, Old Colwyn; Charlie Cossins (A), Bath; Ally Mellor, Shanklin & Sandown; Jamie Elson, Kenilworth; Anthony Tarchetti, Littlestone; Craig Goodfellow, Carlisle DR; Chris Wood (A), Long Ashton; Andrew Miller, Ashby Decoy; Jonathan Hurst (A), Shaw Hill; David Green, Dukinfield; Noel Quinn, Redbourn; George Cowan, Westerhope; Duncan Harris (A), Shrewsbury; Ian Cording, De Vere Herons Reach; Richard Wallis, Walmer & Kingsdown; Laurence Collier, Royal Eastbourne; Paul Curry, Braintree; Mark Millhouse (A), Bolton; Rohan Blizard (A), Australia; Mark Laskey, Shire; Myles Cunningham (A), Longniddry; Matthew Wilcox, Tylney Park; Warren Wood, Rochester & Cobham Park; Mark Heinemann, Skellig Bay; Ben Jones, Unattached; Mats Hallberg, Sweden; Stephen Bennett, Waltham Windmill ; Alfredo Da Corte, Italy; Steven Surry, Cumberwell Park; John Wade, Australia; Kevin Harper, England; Corey Coshan (A), Ferndown; Dale Marmion, Unattached; Gareth Davies, Abbeydale; David Wilton, Muswell Hill; James Gurry, Millers Barn; Adam Pond, Worksop; David Rawluk (A), The Island; Kevin Crossland, Worksop; Steven McGlynn (A), Blackburn; Marco Bernardini, Italy; Carl Corbin (A), Wokefield Park; Peter Berman, South Africa; Chris Hall, Rushcliffe; Darren Wright (A), Rowlands Castle; Ian Walley, Shirland; Nick Deme, Brookdale; Ian Lewis, The Ridge; Daniel Belcher, Metro; Ron Won, USA; Van Phillips, England; Michael Nesbit, Westerhope; Carlos Balmaseda, Spain; Gary Emerson, England; Andrew Coltart, Unattached; David Corsby (A), Fleetwood; Jorge Garcia, Spain; Lee Nash, Surbiton; Jake Amos (A), Kilworth Springs; Steven Brown (A), Wentworth; Paul Reed, Bristol & Clifton; Lee Heaton (A), Tandridge; Brendan McCarroll, Unattached; Adam Scallon, Brocket Hall; Daniel Willett, England; Jose Luis Adarraga, Spain; Jean Van De Velde, France; Jonathan Evans, Wentworth; Jonathan Gidney (A), Church Stretton; Adam Keogh (A), Boston West; Richard Gurney, Kings Norton; Craig Butler, Royal Norwich; Mark Finlayson, Edzell; Christopher Kelly, Cawder; Craig Housden, Channels; David Mansell, Wakefield; David Coupland (A), Boston; George Murray, Scotland; Sean Mason, Teign Valley; Rob Harris, Blankney; Gary Brown, Ganton; James Whatley, East Midlands; Danny Belch, De Vere Oulton Hall; Steven Rettie, All Golf Swing Centre; Daniel Brooks, Mill Hill; Daniel Sefton (A), Lancaster; Jonathan Cheetham, Gatley; Manfred Krainz, Austria; Jose Manuel Ocejo, Spain; Mark Harling, Accrington; Mark Sheppard, England

SOUTHPORT AND AINSDALE: Sean Elliott (A), Frilford Heath; Jack Doherty, Picture Financial; Jason Powell, Hinckley; Ben Scott, Burnley; Jamie Howarth, England; Thomas Sherreard (A), Chart Hills; Martin Sell, Wrag Barn; Raymond Russell, Unattached; Tim Dykes, Wrexham; Oliver Whiteley, Hillsborough; Sven Struver, Germany; Scott Arnold (A), Australia; Nick Ludwell, Selby; Adam Andrews (A), Ashton-in-Makerfield; Mark Bradley, Chorley; Francis McGuirk, Prince's; Ryan Riley, Clayton's of Carlton; John-Paul Banbury, Moor Hall; Anthony Millar, Cheadle; Johan Rydheim, Sweden; Matthew Freeland, The Wisley; Roger Tuddenham, Hedge End; Shaun Webster, Ferndown; Eddy Rawlings, Southwick Park; Marco Donghi, Italy; Hugh MacDonald, South Moor; Matthew Mills, Wentworth; Mark Pilling, Prestbury; Jordan Smith, Woodcote Park; James Harper, Seaton Carew; Ian Ridgway, High Legh Park; Colin Mundie (A), Falkirk; Jack Hiluta (A), Chelmsford; Stanislas Jeuffrain (A), France; Craig Bell, Cumberwell Park; Steve Parry, England; Billy Hemstock (A), Teignmouth; Paul Wesselingh, Kedleston Park; Charles Ford (A), Kirby Muxloe; Michael Moore (A), Porters Park; Richard Prophet (A), Sandwell Park; Adam Chamberlain, Burghley Park; Steven Capper, Caldy; Neil McKinnon (A), Murcar Links; Adam Wootton (A), Southfield; Michael Hempstock, Doncaster; John Mathers (A), Haggs Castle; Lee Jordan, Hartsbourne; Adam Norman, Moseley; Chris Hudson, Southwood; Cameron Clark, Moor Hall; Kelvin Day (A), Surbiton; Diego Torne, Spain; Mark Murphy, Unattached; David Drysdale, Dunbar; Jon Bevan, Wessex Golf Centre; Andrew Barnett, North Wales; Justin Kehoe, Republic of Ireland; Gary Boyd, Unattached; Oscar Floren, Sweden; James Barr, Chilli Dip; Allyn Laing, Mount Murra; Lloyd Godwin (A), Rochester & Cobham Park; Roger Gray, Unattached; Ian Proverbs, Walsall; Anthony Richardson (A), Gog Magog; Stuart Havelock (A), Hankley Common; Tim Rice, Limerick; Nicholas Pateman (A), Porters Park; Christopher Paisley (A), Stocksfield; Knud Storgaard, Denmark; Johan Skold, Sweden; Warren Harmston (A), Wentworth; Lee Wood, Gloucester; Paul Maddy, Gog Magog; Russ Berry, Cleeve Hill; Albert MacKenzie, Saunton; Shaun Malone (A), Australia; Lloyd Kennedy, Chelmsford; Chris Hanson, Crosland Heath; Colin Maroney, Harwood; Philip Golding, England; Wallace Booth (A), Comrie; Jason Kelly, England; David Higgins, Republic of Ireland; Guido Van Der Valk, Netherlands; Jeremy Kavanagh, England; David Skinns, Torskey; Nevil Bland, Brocton Hall; Graham Gordon, www.golfblogger.co.uk; Jonathan Lupton, Middlesbrough; Ian Winstanley (A), Formby; Nicholas Panting (A), Rochester & Cobham Park; Tom Shadbolt (A), Mid Herts; Jack Senior (A), Heysham; Andrew Green, Turton

WEST LANCASHIRE: Robert Watkins, Bush Hill Park; James Atkinson (A), Kendal; Anthony Sproston, High Legh Park; Daryl Ley, Unattached; Mark Young (A), Longridge; Josh Sims (A), Caldy; Matthew Griffiths, Oakdale; Barry Hume, Unattached; Simon Hurd, England; Antonio Espinosa, Spain; David Shacklady, Mossock Hall; Andrew Oldcorn, Scotland; Ryan Newman (A), Brookman's Park; Sean Doherty, Bury; Nicky Harris, Whitefield; James Ruebotham, Welwyn Garden City; David Clark, Morpeth; Eddie Vernon, Burton-on-Trent; Scott Jackson, Golfworks; Andy Smith, Chart Hills; Jack Bartlett (A), Worthing; Nick Day (A), Henbury; Julio Zapata, Argentina; Dale Whitnell (A), Five Lakes; Daniel Wood, The Oxfordshire; Vince Guest, Teesside; Alistair White, Royal Ascot; Michael Bush, Rochester & Cobham Park; Robert Leopold, USA; Noel Fox, MMI; Jon Wetton, Unattached; Jim Sorenson, USA; David Patrick, Elie Sports Club; Farren Keenan (A), Sunningdale; Brett Taylor, Chelmsford; Philip Walton, Unattached; Barry Forster, North Wilts; Mark Mouland, Wales; Jonathan Lomas, England; Peter Cherry, Ashridge; Daniel Greenwood, Forest Pines; Andrew Thorpe (A), Burghley Park; Ciaran Doherty (A), Bury; Sandeep Grewal, Heswall; John Cheetham, Marriott Worsley Park; John Wells, Cherry Burton; Mark Kerr, Craigielaw; Darren Parris, North Foreland; James Crompton, Kenilworth; Nick Redfern, Hong Kong Legendary; Craig Simmons, Patshull Park; Alex Hogben (A), Ringway; Jason Barnes (A), Chart Hills; Danny Taylor, Swingers; Christopher Cannon (A), East Sussex National; Richard Sadler, Killiow; David Carter, England; Markus Brier, Austria; Steven Lane (A); James Byrne (A), Banchory; Matthew Baldwin (A), Royal Birkdale; Tom Boys (A), Royal Liverpool; Peter Appleyard, Wildernesse; Lee Rooke, Vale of Llangollen; Billy Fowles (A), Wentworth; Matthew Edwards, Hill Valley; Andrew Cloke, South Winchester; Daniel Sugrue, Unattached; Keith Hamilton (A), Ayr Belleisle; Daniel Gaunt, Australia; Andrew Willey, England; Scott Dunlap, USA; Oliver Farr (A), Ludlow; Jason Palmer (A), Kirby Muxloe; Scott Emery, Blankney; Robert Bardsley (A), Moor Hall; Mark Thistleton (A), Hayling; George Woolgar, Capital Services; James McGhee, Turnhouse; Kevin Freeman (A), Stoke Park; Duncan McCarthy (A), Pannal; Peter O'Keeffe, Douglas; Matt Morris, Bromsgrove; Luis Claverie, Spain; Sam Osborne, Wentworth; Phil Worthington, Donnington Grove; Jamie Moul, Stoke-by-Nayland; Nigel Bark, Boston West; Simon McGreal, Precision; Graeme Brown, Dalmahoy; Michael Saunders (A), Dartford; Albin Thaller, Austria; Mark O'Sullivan, Galway; Mariano Saiz Vega, Spain; Greg Tucker, Boothferry Park; Barry Taylor, Houghwood