Sheehan gains British Open start with more to come
BY Bruce Young | European PGA Tour | 2004 British Open | General | 04 Jul 2004
Australian golfer Paul Sheehan has gained a British Open start after the Championship Committee of the R&A granted him the spare spot available from the Japan Tour when Brendan Jones, who was already exempt, became eligible for the second time by winning last week’s Mizuno Open. Jones had qualified earlier in the year at the International Final Qualifying in Australia and so the space available from the Mizuno Open was allocated to Sheehan, who was first alternate at that same qualifying.
Sheehan, who won the Fujisankei Tournament earlier in the year and is currently sixth on the Japan Tour money list, has missed the cut at both the Mizuno Open and this week’s Japan Golf Tour Championship but is making rapid progress in his professional career. This opportunity offers yet another chance to highlight his significant game.
At this stage nineteen Australians are in the field for the British Open with the possibility of Nick O’Hern joining them via a cumulative series of events from the Volvo PGA until this week’s European Open where he is again well place leading into the final round.
Also in with a chance of a place as this goes to print, is Mark Hensby who, if he was to finish as the leading player at the Cialis Western Open, not otherwise exempt, would be on his way to Scotland. Hensby is currently in a share of the third round lead in Chicago with Stephen Ames.
It would be some sort of justice for Hensby, who missed by one stroke in qualifying in the US last week.
