Recently crowned Kent Men’s Amateur champion Haiden Matos continued his impressive form by securing a place in Open Final Qualifying.
Regional qualifying for the 154th Open at Royal Birkdale saw more than 2,000 players across 16 venues battle for places in final qualifying next week.
Courses included Rochester & Cobham and Chart Hills in Kent.
Matos, 17, secured the Kent title at Littlestone with victory against Wildernesse’s former champion Danny Jones in the final and the golfer’s good form continued on Monday, moving a step closer to The Open after progressing from regional qualifying.
Matos (Dartford Golf Club) birdied four of his final six holes to card a four-under 67 and was joined by two others at the top of the standings.
Queenwood’s Joshua Bristow and Royal Blackheath’s Jacob Hassan were the leading qualifiers, along with Matos.
Five other players advanced, including Growing Golf Academy’s Tom Sherreard (-3), Tonbridge Golf Centre’s Todd Adcock (-2) and home golfer Justin Chenu.
Zane Scotland (-3) – who played at The Open in Carnoustie as a teenager in 1999 – also qualified at Rochester & Cobham along with James Heard (Tee Box London).
Top reserve was home player Jordan Godwin – a final qualifier in 2023 – who just missed out on a top-eight spot this year after shooting a one-under 70.
Sene Valley’s Finn Lord also finished his round on 70, finishing 24th on the reserve list.
Former top-flight footballer Jimmy Bullard helped draw the crowds to the event and he finished tied-20th with a respectable one-over round of 72.
At Chart Hills, seven places in Final Qualifying were available on the Nick Faldo-designed layout.
There was a tense finish at the Biddenden club, which was added to the regional qualifying rota this year, where Max Moseley came through a play-off to make it through after being one of five players to finish on three-under.
The Knole Park amateur joins Royal St George’s Oliver Daws (-4), Rochester & Cobham’s Luke Jenkins (-4) and Weald of Kent’s Ryan Boyns (-4) in progressing to FQ.
The leading two qualifiers were Americans, with Charles Huntzinger leading the way on seven-under 65, one shot ahead of Golf Club of Georgia’s Charlie Dubiel.
San Diego Country Club’s Adrian Soriano was one of four players to finish four under.
In total, 124 players progressed to Final Qualifying which takes place across four venues on Tuesday, June 30, including Deal’s Royal Cinque Ports where places in The 154th Open will be up for grabs.
