Thomas Bjorn withdraws from International Final Qualifying for the Open Championship
Dane Thomas Bjorn, in a surprise move, has pulled out of the Open Qualifier, the International Final Qualifying (IFQ), at Sunningdale on Monday, June 6. Many top European golfers are trying to qualify for the 140th Open Championship scheduled
in July at Royal St. George’s Golf Club at Sandwich, Kent, England. Ten places are available for the professional players from across the globe who can qualify for the third major of the season via 36-hole event, out of which 18 will be played on the old course
and the remaining 18 on the new course.
Bjorn would not have to be playing to qualify for the Open if he had gone all the way to win the title back in 2003. Bjorn was leading the event when he fell for an unfortunate day to finish runners up behind the winner Ben Curtis.
“It would have been nice to have won an Open Championship and get your career on from there, but it didn't happen,” said Bjorn ahead of the Saab Wales Open at Celtic Manor. “I played some of the best golf of my life that week, but I just didn't finish it
off. That's what happens in golf. But I don't dwell on it at all.”
The 40-year-old Dane is currently having all sorts of problems after his father’s sad demise some three week’s back. Currently ranked 70 in Official World Golf Rankings, Bjorn still has a few tournaments ahead of him to break into the top 50 in order to
qualify for the championship. Bjorn’s withdrawal will come as good news for the last year’s Ryders Cup hero Paul McGinley and Liverpool's Nick Dougherty. Both European players have consecutively missed their cuts in 13 events they have participated and are
also eager to get a place in the Open.
The IFQ round started with a delay of two hours as heavy rain thrashed the course and the final groups are likely to tee-off late in the evening. Ryders Cup captain Colin Montgomerie and Saab Wales Open winner Alex Noren called in at last moments to participate
for the ten spots. Total of 96 players have registered to reserve a place for the upcoming event.
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