Nine players have clinched a place in final qualifying for this year’s Open Championship following the regional round at Rochester & Cobham Golf Club.
A handful of Kent-based players are now one step away from making it through to the 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush, which takes place between July 13-20.
Rochester & Cobham Park was one of the 15 regional qualifying venues, and those winning through will now play again on Tuesday, July 1 in the final qualifiers, which will be played across four courses, including Deal’s Royal Cinque Ports.
Amateur player Oliver Lewis-Perkins (Mid-Kent) and Chart Hills Golf Club general manager Ant Tarchetti have made it through after both shooting a two-under 69 at Rochester & Cobham on Monday.
Seven players were involved in a play-off for four places after all finishing one-under 70.
Qualifying from the play-off were Rochester & Cobham pair Jack Lee – who made final qualifying last year – and Carl Burrows, along with Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club’s head professional Sam Smitherman and Spaniard Raul Gomez, representing the Benidorm club.
Luke Jenkins (Rochester & Cobham) missed out in the play-off, as did along with Faversham Golf Club’s Daniel Smith.
Max Jordan – membership manager at The Wisley Golf Club in Woking – led the field at Rochester & Cobham with a three-under score of 68.
Jordan finished one shot ahead of his club-mate Jonathan Exon-Taylor. Finn Lord (Sunningdale) also shot a two-under par 69 to qualify from the Kent venue.
There were plenty of home players just missing out with Lucas Dennison, Ben Quinney and R&C’s long-serving head professional Warren Wood all carding a score of 71. James Cooper (Stonelees) also finished even par.
North Foreland’s amateur Danny O’Reilly hit a one-over 72, as did William Gibb and Zak Robinson (both The Nevill) along with Bearsted’s Matt Ford – a winner of the 2022 Open final qualifying at Prince’s.
Jordan Godwin was two-over on the day at his home course along with Knole Park’s Alexander Dunmall and William Partner (Sene Valley).
Former Premier League footballer Jimmy Bullard shot a three-over 74 as did George Edwards (Prince’s), Callum Piper (North Foreland) and Scott Antoun (Wildernesse).
