Aussie foursome qualify for Open

BY iseekgolf.com | Australasian PGA Tour | 2008 British Open International Final Qualifying | Round Two | 05 Feb 2008

The Australian foursome of Andrew Tampion, Brad Lamb, Ewan Porter and Peter Fowler are headed to the 2008 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in July after taking the top four positions at International Final Qualifying at The Lakes in Sydney.

Tampion led by three shots at the half way 18 hole mark and held onto that lead for the remainder of the day, shooting eight under for the tournament and finishing three shots clear of the field.

The 23-year-old from the Kingswood Golf Club in Victoria fired rounds of 67 and 71 at the grueling one day 36 hole qualifier and whilst overjoyed with the win, was overawed by the experience.

“I don’t really know what to say, I don’t think it’s sunk in yet,” said Tampion who qualified for The Open for the first time after two previous attempts at Sunningdale last year and Kingston Heath the year before.

“I mean, to play at the British Open is every Aussie kids dream so I am really looking forward to it.”

“I played some great holes today and I think the 6 under first round really got me off to a good start. I just wanted to go out and do the same thing in the afternoon and I set myself a target of 10 under. I didn’t quite get there but 8 under was good enough.”

As they did last year Ewan Porter and Peter Fowler have once again qualified for The Open but this time at least for Porter it was a much more nerve wracking experience.

The 25-year-old who called The Lakes in Sydney home for many years finished three shots ahead of the field last year on 11 under and comfortably took first place. This year however it was a waiting game as he finished an hour ahead of a pack of players all within reach and threatening a play-off.

“I was pretty tense waiting today”, said the normally laid back Porter. “I don’t want to sound arrogant but I really didn’t play very well and especially compared to last year where I just cruised through, it was much tougher and more of a grind this year. I just held on to the positive memories from last year and I think the fact that I know the course well really helped.”

Porter said he definitely intends to have a better preparation for this year’s Open.

“Last year I went to Europe a month early and played on courses over there but it wasn’t tournament golf. I had had 6 weeks not playing tournaments and it just wasn’t a good preparation. This year I am going to do everything I can to get into tournaments beforehand and that will start with the next three events on the Australasian Tour, the HSBC NZ PGA, the Moonah Classic and the Johnnie Walker Classic.”

Once again the evergreen Peter Fowler finds himself heading to The Open �€“ this year for the 12th time.

The 48 year old outplayed many 20 years his junior today and qualified through IFQ Australasia for the third time in four years.

“I thought I’d messed it up on the back nine. I was struggling a bit, it’s a long day,” said Fowler who birdied the final hole to grab equal second spot.

“I was just determined to hit that last shot and birdie. It was all or nothing. It just shows what you can do when you put your mind to it.”

When asked where he still gets his enthusiasm and determination after so many years on the Tour in Europe and Australasia, Fowler revealed his secret.

“I have seen the dark side of golf and I don’t want to go back there. I was without a card in Europe in 1997, 98 and 99 and I played in Australia but had a really bad stretch. I don’t think I made a cent in 1997 and that’s pretty much hitting rock bottom.”

“A mentor and my best friend both said to change things or pack it in and they were right. Spending so much time away from home I had to make things worth it. So I gave myself a pretty good talking to and things changed.”

Fowler now works hard on his fitness and is back enjoying competing and traveling and the benefits of his regime have paid off.

For Brad Lamb it is the other end of the scale. The 30 year old Victorian will be making his first appearance at a Major Championship.

For Lamb it has been a long road after previously attempting to qualify for The Open at IFQ three times.

“It’s quite a bizarre feeling actually, but I am really looking forward to it. It’s just such a great opportunity for us here because really with a field of 55 and four spots available, the odds are pretty good.”

“We get to play in our own country and I have always played well at The Lakes so it has all worked out well.”

Japan’s Ryo Ishikawa, the 16 year old who was the centre of attention in the lead up to the event had a good first round shooting one under but fell away in the second round with five shots over par finishing on 4 over for the event.

The 2008 Open Championship is at Royal Birkdale in England from July 17-20.

Source – PGA Tour