Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
format? 12 golfers. 18 holes. The lowest score is 156th and wins the final spot at The Open.
The reason? Organizers of the R&A say the event, alongside Tuesday’s Heroes Classic, will “enhance the experience of those who attend”. Getting more people, and their wallets, through the gate and staying longer, is an intended consequence.
The dozen selected to play just missed out on play through conventional methods and included the highest-ranked players who had not yet qualified, runners-up at The Amateur Championship and those who came close to qualifying for the finals.
The 7:30 a.m. start on Mondays of open week is usually the preserve of hardcore fans, diligent greenskeepers and the odd player who wants an early mooch around one of golf’s most famous links.
The audience, not so much. The Last Chance Qualifier changed that.
Soaked in the North West sun, the crowd flooded through the gates early, especially drawn to the final group featuring popular YouTuber Wesley Bryan.
He and caddy Peter Finch were regularly cheered by crowds three to four places away, the kind of popularity usually reserved for the likes of Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood on practice days.
Weather, social media stars, and competitive golf added a real sense of intrigue and importance.
The event is expected to help Royal Birkdale break The Open attendance record, with more than 300,000 visitors expected at Southport Links during the week.
