Grant closes in on Open place

Grant Hamerton

GRANT HAMERTON, the assistant golf professional from Brookdale, is closing in on a place at next month’s Open at Turnberry.

The 36-year-old has made final qualifying for the third golf major of the season.

Hamerton is among 288 other hopefuls competing at three Ayrshire courses, starting on Monday week for just 12 spots.

The fields for the 36-hole qualifier include two US Masters winners in Jose Maria Olazabal and Fred Couples.

Hamerton will line up alongside 1999 Open runner-up Jean Van de Velde and former European number one Ronan Rafferty at Glasgow Gales, a course he played some 15 years ago.

He held his nerve to come a through his regional qualifier at Mere, winning a play-off involving six other hopefuls after he carded a 72.

Hamerton explained: “I took a seven on 17, at which stage I thought I had blown my chance, but I then birdied the last.

“Four dropped out at the first extra hole and I won on the second with a par four.”

Hamerton is now one step away from playing alongside the world’s greatest golfers. To make it, he has to finish in the top four.

He said: “It’s something I’ve never done before, so to play at the Open would be the ultimate ambition.

“I’ll just go out there and give it a go. I’ll try to play nice, tidy golf and hopefully avoid any silly mistakes — like the seven at Mere!”

There was disappointment, however, for Oldham professional James Rowlands, ex-Oldham paid man Mike Hollingworth, Stamford pro Mark Smith and Marland’s Danny Youd.

Hamerton spent two seasons on the European Tour, where his top finish was seventh in the Scottish Open in 2000. He has also won the Challenge Tour’s Luxembourg Open.

Former Oldham amateur Marcus Armitage is heading north as well after qualifying from Alwoodley in Yorkshire.

The 21-year-old, who was a member at Oldham but now lives in Huddersfield, finished in a tie with three other players for second place, four shots behind winner James Mason.

Armitage, whose father Philip is a market trader in Oldham, claimed his first win on The Players’ Tour at Wychwood Park.

He has had three joint-top finishes on the tour so far and is seen as a rising star in the golfing ranks.

Barry Taylor, who is taking part in Werneth’s pro-am on Monday, won the regional qualifier at Pleasington to take his place in final qualifying.