Craig Howie set a new Craigielaw course record as 124 players moved through Regional Qualifying for The 154th Open at Royal Birkdale. The qualifying stage was held across 16 venues in Great Britain and Ireland on Monday, 22 June, with the successful players now heading to Final Qualifying on Tuesday, 30 June.
Howie produced the standout round of the day, signing for a 10-under-par 61 at Craigielaw to claim leading qualifier honours. George Bryan also progressed at Hesketh, while former Premier League footballer Jimmy Bullard missed out after posting a 72 at Rochester & Cobham Park.
Royal Birkdale route narrows again
The Open confirmed the full Regional Qualifying picture in its official qualifying round-up, with 2,057 competitors starting the day and only 124 keeping their Royal Birkdale hopes alive.
Final Qualifying will now decide the next batch of players to join an already loaded exemption list for the July championship. For Howie, the manner of progression matters too: a record 61 does not book a major start by itself, but it gives him a serious momentum marker before the last 36-hole test.
The wider field also keeps the qualifying story lively. Zane Scotland, Robert Rock and Sam Locke were among the experienced names to progress, while George Bryan’s route through gives Final Qualifying a crossover audience beyond the usual tour circuit. That mix of proven players, amateurs and outside-interest names is exactly why Regional Qualifying remains one of the most unpredictable stages on the road to The Open.
