Chamberlain closing in on an Open spot

ASTON Wood Golf Club prodigy Mark Chamberlain is just 36 holes away from a place at the Open – but he knows how tough the final stretch will be.

Chamberlain will be among 96 players competing for four Open places at the Final Qualifying Round in Kilmarnock after claiming a top ten spot at regional qualifying in Enville, Stourbridge.

The 20-year-old amateur now has his sights set on a top four finish to qualify for The Open at Turnberry on the weekend of July 16-19.

He told Observer Sport: "I played the regional qualifying last year at Enville for the first time and missed out on a play-off by one shot with a bogey down the last hole.

"So I've already gone one better than last year.

"The course played quite well but the rough was pretty thick so you needed to keep the ball on the fairway. The greens were quite receptive too.

"I'm going up to Kilmarnock tomorrow (Saturday), I'll have a walk around the course and then a practice round on Sunday.

"I'll see what the course is like and assess the situation from there.

"I've been told you have to look at getting five-under-par to make the top four, which is obviously tough.

"But you shouldn't try to force things too much as if you make double or triple bogeys you can play your way out of it.

"It's just a case of making sure you make par and trying to pick up a birdie here and there.

"It would mean everything really to make it – it's every kid's dream to stand on the 18th green at the Open and hole the winning putt.

"I've actually got a trip booked to Devon with a few members of the club on the weekend of the Open – hopefully they'll let me cancel if I make it!"

There was less joy for other Sutton golfers in the regional qualifiers although Moor Hall's Cameron Clark came close at Enville, missing out by shots with a two-over-par 74.

Adrian Carey and Will Bailey, both of Walmley, each hit 78s while Chamberlain's Aston Wood clubmate Tim Regan carded an 81.

In another qualifier at Coventry, Moor Hall's Robert Bardsley missed out on a final qualifying spot by three shots with a 73 with clubmate Jon-Paul Banbury carding 80. Boldmere's Joseph Smoothy hit a 74.