Justin Rose qualifies for British Open as Garcia misses out

England’s Justin Rose qualified for this month’s British Open at Troon on Tuesday, while his former Ryder Cup teammate Sergio Garcia once again failed to secure a spot in golf’s oldest major for the second consecutive year.

Rose, 43, who won the US Open in 2013, clinched one of the four available spots during the final qualifying round at Burnham and Berrow in Somerset. Despite missing the cut in four of his last five major tournaments, Rose remains confident in his ability to win the British Open. He first gained fame as a 17-year-old amateur when he finished fourth at Birkdale in 1998 and later tied for second at Carnoustie in 2018.

Reflecting on his qualification, Rose told Sky Sports, “Right now, I feel a little bit of buzz. I guess I came in with a good attitude… I still feel like I can win the Open. To win it, you’ve got to be in it.”

Meanwhile, over at the West Lancashire course, former major champion Sergio Garcia faced disappointment. He missed out on qualifying for the British Open by just two strokes, similar to his attempt last year. Garcia’s low world ranking, following his move to LIV Golf, means he currently only qualifies for the US Masters based on his status as a former champion.

Despite this setback, Garcia remains a popular figure, drawing hundreds of spectators on Tuesday. However, the large crowds led to significant delays on each hole, resulting in his playing group receiving a warning for slow play. Garcia expressed frustration, noting that the delays impacted his performance.

“The marshals did their best, but we had to stop on nearly every tee for two or three minutes because people were walking on the fairways,” Garcia said. “I don’t think they took that into account, and it was unfortunate because it made us rush. On a tricky day like today, you might need a little extra time, and because of that, I made a couple of bogeys which might have cost me getting to Troon.”

The 152nd Open at Troon, located on the southwest coast of Scotland, is scheduled to take place from July 18-21. Brian Harman of the United States will be defending the title he won last year at Hoylake.