CORK AMATEUR HOWARD QUALIFIES FOR THE OPEN
France’s Valentine Delon won The 123rd Women’s Amateur Championship after a hard-fought Final at Muirfield. (Photo: R&A)
Fota Island’s David Howard is living proof that dreams really do come true as he stamped his ticket to this month’s Open Championship at Royal Birkdale after coming through Final Open Qualifying at Dundonald Links in Ayrshire, Scotland.
The Cork amateur carded a four-under par 36-hole aggregate of 140 after rounds of 69, 71 at Dundonald. That left him tied second behind local favourite Jack McDonald who led qualifying at the Scottish venue on five under.
“It hasn’t sunk in yet but it’s pretty special and I’m looking forward to it. I only started playing Irish championships as an amateur three years go so it can’t get much better than this. It’s mad. I actually can’t even imagine it. I can’t wait to be there and see how it goes,” said a delighted Howard.
Howard’s story is all the more remarkable as he has battled Cystic Fibrosis and much of his childhood was spent getting treatment.
After yesterday’s wonderful golf on the Ayrshire links, he will now tee it up alongside the likes of Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry, Darren Clarke, Ton McKibbin, recent Amateur champion Stuart Grehan and Pádraig Harrington, who famously won the Open at Royal Birkdale.
Howard proved his talent in recent years when he won last year’s East of Ireland championship at Baltray.
For now though, he can focus attention on playing is golf oldest and biggest Major of them all.
Elsewhere, Baard Bjoernevik Skogen and MJ Daffue were the pick of the qualifiers as twenty players earned their place in The 154th Open at Royal Birkdale through Final Qualifying at various venues.
Final Qualifying featured a starting field of 288 competing at 36-hole events held at Burnham & Berrow, Dundonald, Royal Cinque Ports and West Lancashire today. Five places in The 154th Open were available at each venue.