PUDDLETOWN’S Brady Stead will take to the course at Prince’s Golf Club, in West Kent, looking to qualify for the 148th Open, which this year is taking place in Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland.

Stead will attempt to claim one of 12 places available in the draw.

The golfer admitted he is trying to get psyched up ahead of his big challenge tomorrow.

Stead told Echosport: “I am getting ready, and trying to get a little bit psyched up and we will see what happens.

“I’m really excited, it is a very, very cool opportunity.

“It is an opportunity where if I go and do what I have done before and what I believe I can do, I could be playing in a major championship but I am just really focusing on my practice, and preparing and just giving myself the best chance to go out and play well.

“It is very easy to fast forward but with dreams when you are close to reaching them it is hard not to, but that is where the preparation comes in and that is where some of the mental work and things that you can do away from the golf course certainly help in the situation.”

Stead’s connection to Puddletown comes as his father grew up there before emigrating to Canada, while Stead grew up in Vernon in British Columbia has since rekindled his Dorset roots.

He then spent six years on Vancouver Island in Victoria, where he played college golf and won a national championship.

Stead has said that coming over here was something he has dreamed of doing.

Stead said: “My grandparents had a kid here in England and they lived in Puddletown for a few years and I have some family that live in Puddletown that I have really gotten to know really well.

“My dad came for a visit for the first time after 40 years, it was pretty fantastic he remembered everything. It has been something I have always dreamed of doing in coming over here.

“I do have the roots in Puddletown and I have just grown to love it.”

He admits he has had to adjust to the windier conditions since being in England, but praised the standards.

Stead said: “It is good, the level of competition is fantastic. If you want to play well and win a few pounds or get through events you have to play well.

“The guys here are a little bit more accustomed to playing in windier conditions so that is something that I have really worked hard on learning. Just because here, as we all know in Britain, the weather can turn at any moment so you just have to be ready.”