Former Premier League stars fail to qualify for Open but Irish hopes are alive
Two former Premier League footballers missed out but a host of Irish players and a popular Youtuber are through to the final stage of qualifying for next month's Open Championship.
As its name suggests, the Open is an event that gives amateurs and lesser-known professionals the opportunity to compete alongside the world's best on one of golf's biggest stages.
And almost 2,000 golfers took part in a Regional Qualifying event on Monday across 15 different courses in Great Britain and Ireland.
The leading finishers at each of the 15 courses will earn places at Final Qualifying on Tuesday 1 July, and a chance to play at Royal Portrush in the major championship.
It wasn't to be in the end, though, for former Premier League footballers Jimmy Bullard and Peter Odemwingie, who were among the notable names to miss out.
Former Wigan star Bullard shot a respectable three-over 74 at Rochester & Cobham Park, while former West Brom striker Odemwingie posted 82 at Enville.
Bullard was playing after an impressive performance in a Legends Tour event in Greece recently, where he shot five-under over 54 holes to finish level with former US Open winner Michael Campbell and ahead of Paul Lawrie, Open winner back in 1999.
Peter Odemwingie is competing at Enville as he looks to build on a golfing dream that was born during his time playing at Stoke City.
The Nigerian international, 43, scored 37 Premier League goals across spells at West Brom, Stoke and Cardiff.
He is perhaps best known in English football for his attempt to join QPR in 2013. The forward turned up at the West London club's Loftus Road home even though no deal had been agreed.
Odemwingie only started golfing in his 30s but has qualified as a teaching professional and is hoping to compete on the Champions Tour after he turns 50.
There was better news, though, for popular YouTube star Peter Finch as he reached the final stage of Open qualifying in great style at Caldy Golf Club.
Finch mixed an eagle, three birdies and four bogeys to shoot a one-under-par round of 71 in tough, blustery conditions.
The English golfer has close to 1,000,000 subscribers to his YouTube channel and regularly chronicles his progress towards qualifying for the Open Championship.
Meanwhile, at the notoriously difficult Island Golf Club in Dublin, Paul McBride put his local knowledge to great to top the qualifying.
Former Walker Cup star McBride shot a three-under-par round of 69, one shot ahead of Cloverhill's Keith Shannon, who is also heading to final qualifying.
The pair will be joined by fellow Irish golfers Rowan Lester (Hermitage), Finlay Eager (Royal Belfast), Ronan Mullarney (Leopardstown Driving Range), Brendan McCarroll (Foyle Golf Centre), Ruaidhri McGee, who all qualified at the Island.
But that still left two remaining qualifying spots to be won as late drama unfolded at the Dublin venue.
Nine players finished on two-over-par and went into a play-off for the remaining two spots on offer for final qualifying.
And in the end experience counted as former European Tour player Niall Kearney and Alex Maguire, who played in the 2023 Open as an amateur, earned the final tickets.
Final Qualifying will take place at Burnham & Berrow, Dundonald Links, Royal Cinque Ports and West Lancashire ahead of the 153rd Open at Royal Portrush.
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