Westwood, Herbert book British Open spots
The 52-year-old LIV golfer finished seven-under in the two-round event, one of four qualifiers held at different venues for the July 17-20 Open at Royal Portrush.
"I've been up since half-past one this morning with jet lag so I was starting to feel it," said Westwood, who flew in from Dallas after playing a LIV event there on Sunday.
Lucas Herbert was another LIV player to book his ticket, topping his event in West Lancashire to join a strong contingent of Australians at the major, including former winner Cameron Smith.
"I've made it hard on myself just missing out on qualifying before now, but I've finally got there," he told Australian media.
"I had chances in Australia, Macau and New Zealand and I couldn't finish it off, so it's definitely tested my patience. I'm glad it's held out in the end."
Richard Teder celebrated becoming the first Estonian to secure a place at the Open in dramatic fashion.
He blew an initial chance to qualify with a double-bogey on the last hole but grabbed one of the last two spots in a four-man playoff by holing out for an eagle from the fairway.
Ryder Cup icon Ian Poulter and his son Luke both missed out after teeing up at Royal Cinque Ports on England's Kent coast.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNA
3 hours ago
- CNA
Osaka ready to spread her grasscourt wings after being paralysed by fear
LONDON :After years of having a rather a strained relationship with Wimbledon thanks to being "paralysed by fear" at the thought of playing on tennis's fastest surface, Naomi Osaka feels she has finally found her grasscourt wings. The Japanese player, who has won all four of her Grand Slam titles on the hardcourts of Melbourne Park and Flushing Meadows, has never found her comfort zone on the green, green grass of Wimbledon, making only four previous appearances during her 10-year professional career. During those four visits to the All England Club, she won a total of just five matches, with third-round showings in 2017 and 2018 her standout performances - hardly anything to shout about for a woman who has been ranked on top of the world. But after matching her best ever Wimbledon showing on Wednesday with an impressive 6-3 6-2 win over Czech Katerina Siniakova, who has won the Wimbledon women's doubles title three times, Osaka feels she has finally overcome the fear factor on grass. "When I was younger, I had no fear. I think when you are young, you fear nothing, and that's one of the really cool things about it," explained Osaka, now ranked 53 as she continues to try to recapture her best form after taking a maternity break in 2023. "But with age fear kind of crept along and, I guess, paralysed me in a way. Now I'm kind of just getting over that and trying to spread my wings on grass. "I think it is working, and I think I am moving pretty well. Yeah, I just hope that in years to come and hopefully this year I can do a lot better in this tournament." Osaka could not have picked a better year to enjoy a deep run at the tournament. Following the carnage of seeds over the first three days, the highest seeds she could meet before a potential semi-final against either world number one Aryna Sabalenka or Australian Open champion Madison Keys are number 13 Amanda Anisimova or number 30 Linda Noskova - neither of whom are known for their grasscourt pedigree. After two straight-set victories, she will certainly fancy her chances of defeating Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova to reach the last 16 here for the first time, considering the Russian has not beaten her since 2017. "Definitely this year I feel a lot more comfortable moving on grass," said Osaka after improving her Wimbledon win-loss record to 7-4 on the day her daughter Shai was celebrating her second birthday. "I know the last couple of years I was really scared to move because when I was younger, I strained my knee or whatever. It took a couple of years to get over that but I definitely feel a lot more comfortable."
CNA
4 hours ago
- CNA
Just frustration: Piastri explains radio cursing at Alpine
LONDON :McLaren's Formula One championship leader Oscar Piastri said cursing at former employers Alpine over the radio at last weekend's Austrian Grand Prix was just a humorous way of expressing his frustration. The Australian made a comment after having to go off track to avoid Renault-owned Alpine's Argentine driver Franco Colapinto. "Alpine still managed to find a way to (expletive) me over all these years later, huh?," he told race engineer Tom Stallard in an exchange not broadcast on television at the time. Piastri told Reuters at a McLaren fan event in London's Trafalgar Square on Wednesday that his swearing had just been spur of the moment. "It was just kind of a frustrating coincidence. My qualifying got hampered by an Alpine. I got impeded in the race by both the Alpines. So, it was kind of just a build-up of a few things," he said. "And it was more out of frustration. "I still have a lot of friends at Alpine. A lot of people that I respect a lot. "It was just kind of an ironic coincidence that the things that hampered me a bit in the weekend were all with Alpine. But, yeah - more just me trying to express my humour and frustration in the race." Piastri joined McLaren after being named by Alpine as their driver for 2023, only for the Australian to very publicly reject the seat with a statement that has become part of Formula One lore. Then Alpine team boss Otmar Szafnauer questioned the driver's integrity, and threatened legal action, but McLaren won easily when the matter went to the contract recognition board. Alpine are now last in the championship, and are still going through turmoil, while McLaren won the constructors' title last year and are runaway favourites again.
CNA
5 hours ago
- CNA
Brown rejects 'two-horse race' assessment, expects Max move
LONDON :McLaren boss Zak Brown dismissed suggestions the Formula One title was a two-horse race between his drivers and said Red Bull's Max Verstappen remained a contender for a fifth championship in a row and was also likely to join Mercedes. McLaren's Oscar Piastri leads teammate Lando Norris by 15 points, with Verstappen now 61 points behind the Australian after 11 of 24 races. Red Bull boss Christian Horner said in Austria at the weekend, after Verstappen was shunted out on the opening lap, that the battle was effectively over before the mid-point of the season. "It looks very much like a two-horse race. They (McLaren) have got a cushion to the rest of the field," Horner told reporters. But Brown told Reuters at an event for McLaren fans in London's Trafalgar Square that it was far too early to say that. "I think it's a four maybe even a five (horse race)," said the American. "We're in a great position but we know how quickly things can change in Formula One. Max isn't that far behind and he's that awesome, and then George (Russell) isn't far behind him and you can definitely see Mercedes is getting tougher and tougher and are not far away. "And nor is Ferrari so I think (Charles) Leclerc, Max and George, it's way too early to not have them in the race. "Maybe ask me that question in another five races and I'll answer it differently. But right now I see those five all in contention for the championship." Verstappen has been linked repeatedly with Mercedes, who have acknowledged talks with the Dutch driver about a future switch, with 2027 looking more likely. Brown has said before that he expected Verstappen to join Mercedes eventually and he stood by that. "There's a lot of noise. I'm a believer of where there's smoke there's fire. No one's kind of denying anything, no one's making firm 'I'm gonna be in this car next year'," he explained. "So in my experience and reading the tea leaves I feel like something's going on, maybe something's even already done ... it's what makes Formula One fun - there's always some storyline for everyone to follow, so I think I stand by my prediction."
