R&A Press Release

'SCOT' McGUIGAN IS ONE OF FOUR

TO WIN ROYAL BIRKDALE PLACES

FROM INTERNATIONAL QUALIFIER

"The Good, The Bad, The Ugly and The Rookie - that's us!" said the all-South African foursome that booked their berths at Royal Johannesburg & Kensington Golf Club in the first International Qualifier for The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in July.
While overnight leader Josh Cunliffe - The Rookie - never relinquished his advantage, experienced campaigner Darren Fichardt - The Good - set the course on fire, Doug - The Ugly - McGuigan (pictured right) - who has claimed in the past to be a Scot - employed his latest mantra to stay calm and steadily chipped away at the leaderboard, but they were all in agreement that the spotlight of the day should fall on The Bad, Hennie Otto.
The feisty Boksburg Bomber showed why he can never be written off when he holed a tricky 16ft putt for an eagle 3 at the final hole to guarantee his fifth start in the Open.
Otto's 65 saw him finish at eight-under-par 134 and joint third with former neighbour and good friend, McGuigan, shutting the door to a play-off with Ulrich van den Berg and Brandon Pieters, tied on seven-under.
McGuigan and Otto finished four strokes behind Cunliffe, who showed maturity beyond his 25-years to navigate the tough East Course lay-out in another solid six-under-par 65 for 12-under-par 130.
"I think I might go book my ticket just now," enthused the 2005 South African amateur stroke-play championship winner. "I guess I'll have a couple of months to get used to the idea, because it's an absolute dream come true for me."
Having bogeyed the first hole, he collected five birdies before the turn and added three more against another drop for a winning total of 12-under 130.
"I had a very specific game plan when I went out this morning and I stuck to it, in spite of the bogeys. It gave me added confidence going out there, knowing what I'm supposed to do. Even when I got into trouble, like the bogey at the par-3 (12th) or when I hit it in the trees off the tee at the 18th, it didn't upset my rhythm or my planning."
Fichardt, who had to withdraw from the Johannesburg Open after nine holes in the first round after injuring his left wrist, opened his tally with a 68. Today the six-time Sunshine Tour winner pushed into overdrive, scorching the par-71 lay-out in an unofficial course-record 63.
"I was really upset after the injury ruined my chances in the Johannesburg Open," said Fichardt, whose eight-under-par round did not count as a course record due to placing. "I love this course and I know I can do well here. I was very relieved when I went to the driving range on Saturday and the wrist felt okay.
"Yesterday I felt out of sorts and struggled to get around over the first nine holes, but over the back-nine things started to heat up. As soon as I was hitting balls on the driving range this morning, I knew it would be a good day.
After a birdie at the second, Fichardt made his only bogey at the fourth when he missed the fairway on the left. "I had a shocking lie with 220 yards in. I tried to get it close to the pin, but it was short of the green. After a decent chip, I messed up the par-putt.
Birdies followed at the fifth, seventh, eighth, 12th, 14th, 15th and 17th and the two-time Sunshine Tour Order of Merit winner narrowly missed a 6-footer for eagle at the 18th.
"I am so excited to go to The Open. I've played four times and missed the cut each time. Maybe we should ask them to move The Open here."
McGuigan's round of 67 showed only one bogey, but the popular player's steadiness on the course paid off big dividends. "I just stuck to the fairways and greens; that's how you have to play this track. If you start to get too clever, or too aggressive, the course will bite back," said McGuigan, who shared the first spot this year and is also hopeful of making his first cut in this third turn at The Open.
McGuigan entered the tournament with "Scotland" listed as his home country but he is probably more South African than Scottish by now.
"I had injuries the previous two times, so this year I will be wrapping myself in cotton wool at least a month before the time. Who knows? Maybe I will get the good old third time lucky," he said.
Otto, who was stunned at having missed the cut in the Johannesburg Open at his home course, was just as stunned when he holed that pressure putt at 18 for his fifth Open Championship.
"I knew I needed an eagle to tie Dougie," explained Otto. "I flew the fairway bunkers - that was one big drive - but I knew that was just half the job done.
"Then I hit probably the best four-iron of my career into the green. It was still a bit nerve- wracking, standing over that putt. It breaks heavily from left to right, about 3-foot and it's quite pacey - I timed it just right."
Otto's eagle effectively closed the door on big-hitting Brandon Pieters, who carded a 69 and Ulrich van den Berg, who also eagled the 18th for a 67. Both players were tied on seven-under 135.
England's Justin Walters was also in the trio at seven-under playing the last, but he raced a birdie putt past the hole and failed to close for par with his return putt. His 70 tied him with 2005 winner Warren Abery (70) and James Kamte (67) on six-under 136.

Northern Open champion Murray Urquhart from Inverness finished on 147 with rounds of 76 and 71.
SCOREBOARD
QUALIFIERS FOR ROYAL BIRKDALE
(Players from South Africa unless stated)
Par 142 (2 x 71)
130 Joshua Cunliffe 65 65.
131 Darren Fichardt 68 63.
134 Douglas McGuigan (Scotland) 67 67.
134 Hennie Otto 69 65.
REST OF SCORES
135 Ulrich Van Den Berg 68 67, Brandon Pieters 66 69.
136 Warren Abery 66 70 James Kamte 69 67, Justin Walters (England) 66 70.
138 Charl Coetzee 67 71, Alexander Haindl 68 70, Edoardo Molinari (Ita) 68 70, Tyron Van Aswegen 68 70, Trevor Fisher 70 68, Vaughn Groenewald 70 68, Bradford Vaughan 71 67
139 Andre Bossert (Swi) 71 68, Jaco Van Zyl 74 65, Keith Horne 68 71, Desvonde Botes 70 69, Terry Pilkadaris (Aus) 68 71, David Park (Gbr) 72 67, Martin Maritz 73 66
140 Steve Basson 69 71, Peter Karmis 69 71, Chris Swanepoel 72 68, Tongo Charamba (Zim) 73 67
141 Fredrik Widmark (Swe) 71 70, Magnus Persson (Swe) 73 68, Wallie Coetsee 71 70, Robert Wiederkehr (Swi) 70 71
142 Albert Pistorius 73 69, Jean Hugo 74 68, Dion Fourie 70 72
143 Marc Cayeux (Zim) 69 74, Peter Kaensche 70 73, Steve Alker (Nzl) 72 71, Adilson Da Silva (Bra) 69 74
144 Ryan Tipping 74 70, Alan Michell 73 71, Alessio Bruschi (Ita) 75 69
145 Michiel Bothma 73 72, Mark Murless 74 71
146 Gareth Paddison (Nzl) 70 76, Neil Schietekat 74 72, Edrich Jansen 75 71
147 Murray Urquhart (Gbr) 76 71, Divan Van den Heever 78 69, Titch Moore 74 73
148 Lars Brovold (Nor) 77 71, Andre Cruse 74 74
149 Henk Alberts 76 73, George Coetzee 72 77, Dean Lambert 72 77
150 Wayne De Haas 73 77, Olivier David (Fra) 74 76
151 Ross Wellington 74 77
152 Kalle Brink (Swe) 74 78
Scratched Nic Henning, Omar Sandys, Jakobus Roos, Grant Muller