OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP REGIONAL QUALIFYING - Stewart storms through to final stages

Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) stormed into the Final Qualifying stages of the 2009 Open Golf Championship with a third place finish in the Regional Qualifying event held at Musselburgh on Wednesday 24th June.

Stewart, a Scottish internationalist and a former Scottish Boys Champion was one of a number of Ayrshire golfers taking part in Regional Qualifying at two of the sixteen selected venues on Wednesday 24th June, finishing as the only one of the local hopefuls to progress to Final Qualifying.

At Musselburgh, Stewart shot a superb 66, five under par, to finish third of the qualifiers.

The qualifying score at Musselburgh was 69, leaving Callum Nicoll (Prestwick) agonisingly outside the qualifying mark by one shot.

The scores returned by Ayrshire players at Musselburgh were :-

66 - Michael Stewart (Am) (Troon Welbeck)

70 - Callum Nicoll (Prestwick)

73 - Paul Moultrie (Am) (Troon Portland), Gordon Sherry (Kilmarnock Barassie)

74 - Stuart Robin (Prestwick St. Nicholas)

75 - Jamie Mmackay (Am) (Kilmarnock Barassie)

77 - Walter Meiklem ((Am) (Troon Welbeck), Stephen Murray (Am) (Troon Welbeck)

79 - David Addison (Am) (Kilmarnock Barassie)

85 - Kieron Stevenson (Royal Troon)

N/R - Michael Sweenie (Turnberry)

*** Another Ayrshire connection in the Regional Qualifying at Musselburgh was the performance of amateur player Andrew Gunson, playing out of Shady Canyon in the USA, who shot 68 to go through to the Final Qualifying stages.

Andrew began his golf at Turnberry, where his father, European Tour player Brian Gunson, was Director Of Golf until 2001 when he took up a new post and the family moved to America. Brian himself also began his golf in Ayrshire, being a junior member at Ballochmyle and Prestwick St. Cuthbert before progressing to the professional ranks.

The other venue which featured local players was Berwick-Upon-Tweed where the quaslifying score was 71.

Closest to qualifying was Jack Doherty (North Gailes) who was just one shot off the pace on 72.

Scores at this venue involving local players were :-

72 - Jack Doherty (North Gailes)

74 - David Ross-Nicol (Dundonald Links)

76 - Chris Harkins (Am) (Ayr Belleisle)

79 - Keith Hamilton (Am) (Ayr Belleisle), David Strachan (Am) (Turnberry)

80 - Colin Cunningham (Turnberry)

83 - Del Chamberlain (Troon Welbeck)

Final qualifying will take place at Glasgow Gailes, Kilmarnock (Barassie) and Western Gailes on Monday 6th and Tuesday 7th July.