Regional Open qualifying: The hope and despair
O’Neill matches Coulson with a 74, after his short-game failings let him down again and he bogeys two of the last three.
He’s otherwise a bastion of stability – he records 13 pars over the course of the round – but it’s “one of those days”.
“I wasn’t at my best. I played all right from tee to green but I just struggled on the greens and round them. I didn’t chip and putt well enough.
“It’s a good experience, you take from it what you can but you want to play well and get through. It’s disappointing when you don’t.”
All of which leaves Turner as the final hope of our featured trio.
A birdie at seven is followed by six consecutive pars. But Turner looks like he is tiring.
The gap between his ball, and those of his partners off the tee, is widening by the shot. By the time he gets to 18, it’s the best part of 50 yards.
A dropped shot here and it’s four bogeys in the last five holes. Turner finishes with 78.
“I made a load of bogeys from the middle of the fairway with poor iron shots,” he explains. “I still enjoy teeing it up but I’m a bit disappointed because you want to compete and I’m not quite there.”
Nearly 10 hours come to an end – and those who’ve scraped through have to do it all over again, over 36 holes this time, in final qualifying next week.
For the majority, the dream remains just that. But the ever-increasing odds don’t appear to be putting anyone off.
Will you have another go at Open Qualifying next year, Turner is asked. He sums up the whole field in just two words.
“Why not?”
The Niggle Podcast: Episode 30 – Where we try to qualify for the Open
Open qualifying shows golf in its best light
The courses you have to tackle to get to the Open
Steve Carroll
A journalist for 25 years, Steve has been immersed in club golf for almost as long. A former club captain, he has passed the Level 3 Rules of Golf exam with distinction having attended the R&A's prestigious Tournament Administrators and Referees Seminar.
Steve has officiated at a host of high-profile tournaments, including Open Regional Qualifying, PGA Fourball Championship, English Men's Senior Amateur, and the North of England Amateur Championship. In 2023, he made his international debut as part of the team that refereed England vs Switzerland U16 girls.
A part of NCG's Top 100s panel, Steve has a particular love of links golf and is frantically trying to restore his single-figure handicap. He currently floats at around 11.
Steve plays at Close House, in Newcastle, and York GC, where he is a member of the club's matches and competitions committee and referees the annual 36-hole scratch York Rose Bowl.
Having studied history at Newcastle University, he became a journalist having passed his NTCJ exams at Darlington College of Technology.
What's in Steve's bag: TaylorMade Stealth 2 driver, 3-wood, and hybrids; TaylorMade Stealth 2 irons; TaylorMade Hi-Toe, Ping ChipR, Sik Putter.
