Gordon closer to Open dream

Published:

ON HIS WAY: Graham Gordon carded a two-under 69in the regional qualifying for The Open at Musselburgh.

NORTH-EAST pro Graham Gordon took a step nearer a place in The Open after coming through regional qualifying at Musselburgh.

The former Scottish Amateur champion and Walker Cup player, from Newmachar, fired a two-under 69 over the East Lothian course to finish in a share of second spot behind No1 qualifier Graeme Brown, of Dalmahoy.

Gordon, now competing on the PGA EuroPro Tour, will head for either Hillside, West Lancs or Southport & Ainsdale at the start of next week for the 36-hole final qualifier where only the top four players at each venue will secure a tee-time for the Royal Birkdale Open.

Gordon will be joined in the two round shoot-out by Murcar amateur Neil McKinnon who came through a seven man play-off at Musselburgh to book one of the 12 spots on offer after finishing with a 72.

McKinnon’s clubmates Neil Mitchell (73), Iain Galbraith (74) and Ian Powell (75) all failed to make the grade while Peterhead youngster Philip McLean also missed out after a 75.

Scotland’s Jack Doherty shot a course-record 67 to finish top of the Berwick-upon-Tweed qualifier.

Winner of the 2003 Australian amateur title and a Walker Cup reserve, Doherty is 27th on the EuroPro Tour and birdies on the final two holes gave him a one-shot win.

Barry Taylor, the most prolific winner on the PGA North Region circuit, chalked up his 10th victory of the season with a six-under-par 65 at Pleasington.

Others who did not make it were former Italian Open champion Jim Payne, leading amateur in the 1991 Open at Birkdale; James Conteh, son of former world boxing champion John; and John Spreadborough, who at Musselburgh returned a 28-over-par round of 99.

It included a 13 at the par-five seventh and brought back memories of the late Maurice Flitcroft, a hoaxer whose repeated attempts to make it into The Open included a 121 at Formby in 1976.

Spreadborough was heading for a three-figure score until he parred the final three holes, and he said afterwards: “I’ve been playing golf for 20 years and I spent two years in Austria working with the European Golf Teachers’ Federation.

“Everybody dreams of playing in The Open and I thought it would be good to be involved.”

Royal and Ancient Club official Nigel Watt stated: “Neither of his playing partners had complained that they were unhappy. He had a bad day.”