ALASTAIR FORSYTH ONE OF

16 SUNNINGDALE QUALIFIERS

FOR CARNOUSTIE OPEN

Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell led 16 qualifiers, including Scot Alastair Forsyth, pictured right, into the Open championship starting field after winning the International Final Qualifying event at Sunningdale Golf Club today.
The 36-hole qualifier, played over Sunningdale’s Old and New Courses, saw 120 players do battle for 16 available places at Carnoustie on July 19.

At the end of a day blighted by bad weather and uncomfortable conditions, McDowell compiled rounds of 67-64 for a nine-under-par 131 total, two strokes clear of England’s Nick Dougherty, Sweden’s Peter Hanson and Miguel Angel Jiménez of Spain, who shared second place on 133.
"I thought we got very lucky with the weather," said McDowell. "We had only two heavy downpours this afternoon, one when we were standing on the 18th tee. But it's amazing how difficult the golf course does play when there is rain.

"The fairways are saturated. The golf course is right on the edge of being saturated anyway. But the way they presented it today was pretty amazing considering how much rain there has been. It was in immensely good shape.
"Last year I holed about a 30-footer on the last green to get into the play-off. Nice to do it with a bit more style this year.
"Carnoustie is a course I do enjoy. I have played there a lot. I certainly did not want to be sitting at home while The Open is going on.
"I think I have the right mind set for these qualifiers. Some of the guys go out and try to play very aggressively. I play very conservatively. Try and take my birdie chances when I get them. You obviously need a lot of mental stamina to get through these 36-holers. I feel like I'm in the top 25 per cent in mental stamina. Got to hang in there all day, try and keep the mistakes off the card."
One of the most unusual aspects of Monday’s International Final Qualifying event was the lack of a sudden-death play-off.
It has become almost a tradition that the Sunningdale qualifier ends with a few players going head to head in a sudden-death shoot-out for that last remaining spot, but that was not to be as exactly 16 players finished on four under par 136 or better.
Seven of the 16 qualifiers made it through on the limit mark of 136, namely Fredrik Andersson-Hed, Peter Baker, Mattias Eliasson, Mark Foster, David Frost, Jose-Filipe Lima and Francesco Molinari
Ross Fisher will make his first appearance in a Major Championship thanks to his brilliant second round 64 that allowed him to finish in fifth place on six under par 134, while completing the 16 qualifiers were Benn Barham, Gregory Bourdy, Alistair Forsyth (65-70) and Oliver Wilson, all on 135.

Steven O'Hara was one Scot denied the chance by being unable to catch a flight to London because of the terrorist attack on Glasgow Airport.
Among others who failed to make it through were last year's Ryder Cup captain Ian Woosnam.
QUALIFIERS

131 G McDowell 67 64
133 P Hanson (Swe) 68 65, M A Jimenez (Spa) 66 67, N Dougherty 64 69
134 R Fisher 70 64
135 A Forsyth 65 70, G Bourdy (Fra) 67 68, O Wilson 68 67, B Barham 67 68
136 M Eliasson (Swe) 70 66, F Molinari (Ita) 70 66, F Andersson Hed (Swe) 68 68, D Frost (RSA) 70 66, M Foster 66 70, J-F Lima (Por) 64 72, P Baker 68 68
SCOTS NON-QUALIFIERS

138 M Warren 69 69.

140 S Gallacher 70 70.

143 A Coltart 69 74.

148 E Little 75 73.

Withdrew: D Drysdale 73 -.