1700+ Battle For Final Open Places

• Tuesday, 11 July 2006
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More than 1700 players have been battling at golf courses across the UK for the chance to progress into the Final Qualifiers for the 135th Open Championship, which begins at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club on The Wirral on July 20th 2006.

Rounds at sixteen venues have seen the field cut down dramatically. 96 players will be drawn to play at Wallasey, Conwy, Formby and West Lancashire on the Monday and Tuesday in the week before The Open starts for the right to join the world's finest players on the historic Hoylake links.

There were several standout performers in the Regional Qualifying stage, and many of them will fancy their chances of progressing to The Open itself. Amongst the more well known names to qualify were Alejandro Canizares of Spain and Jonas Blixt of Sweden, both of whom starred on the American collegiate circuit. Canizares carded a comfortable 70 at Little Aston, while Blixt was in top form at Orsett and shot an impressive 64.

At Prestbury, the most presitigious of the regional venues, Scott Jackson shot 67 to finish top of the leaderboard. Other impressive rounds were posted by Paul Page at Rochester & Cobham and James Busby at Trentham. Both players carded 65s to ease into the next stage.

96 players will now line up at each of the four final venues, with three places in the championship proper up for grabs at each course.