Open no-go (From Dorset Echo)

Open no-go

9:13am Wednesday 8th July 2009 in

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WEYMOUTH’S Jon Bevan and Michael Watson have seen their dreams of reaching this year’s Open shattered.

The Wessex Golf Centre professionals fell at different stages with Watson exiting in the Regional Qualifying event and Bevan missing out at the final hurdle – Local Final Qualifying.

Bevan, who was hoping to book a fourth straight appearance at The Open, finished four shots adrift of the fourth and final qualifying berth at Kilmarnock yesterday on six under. However, he did place higher than former Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal (-3).

Watson on the other hand was knocked out a stage earlier as he missed out on a place alongside Bevan, for the Local Final Qualifying, by just three shots at Ferndown.

A disappointed Watson believes it is becoming increasingly difficult to reach the finals of the prestigious event, which this year will be held at Turnberry on July 16-19.

He said: “It was a poor putting display which let me down and in the end I missed out by three shots. You work hard all year for all the events you enter but The Open is one competition that you ideally want to do well in.

“But the way it is organised now means that it’s getting harder and harder to qualify for, as there seem to be fewer places up for grabs.

“In the Local Final Qualifying there’s some 288 players vying for just 12 spots so there’s little room for error.

“To be honest, with it getting harder for the normal professional to qualify, the romance of the competition is starting to dwindle somewhat, which is a real shame.

“Next year I’ll try my luck at a different course for the qualifiers.”

Bevan can console himself with the joy of winning a place in the Great Britain & Ireland team for this year’s PGA Cup tie with USA in September.

Watson, however, was again left frustrated after finishing joint 47th in the Glenmuir Grand Final.

He added: “It was decided by the draw really because the weather was so very different on the second morning. We played in horrendous conditions while in the afternoon there was blue skies.

“Jon got back into the team by finishing fifth but I missed out. Had I played at a different time in the day then I would’ve been in there fighting.

“It’s just frustrating because sometimes a game can be decided by the weather.”