An Open ticket for Jyoti Randhawa

An Open ticket for Jyoti Randhawa
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

ST ANDREWS (Scotland), July 18: A Stunning performance by Jyoti Randhawa onthe final day of qualifying at Scotscraig Course fashioned his maiden entryinto the British Open Golf championship only second Indian to achieve thefeat.

After a battling but excellent finish on the turn in the first round onSunday, Randhawa fired four-under-par 67 for an aggregate of seven-under 135and booked his place for the July 20-23 open at St Andrews Old Course here.The 28-year-old Randhawa, winner of Wills Indian Open in March, overcame anear disastrous start with two bogeys in his opening four holes but herecovered brilliantly with four birdies and an eagle three.His feat matchedGaurav Ghei's qualification to the Royal Troon British Open in Birkdale in1997.

But other Indians in the fray Ghei, Indrajit Bhalotia, Amandeep Johl andArjun Atwal all failed to make realise their dreams at Lundin Links,Ladybank and Leven Link courses respectively.In the fourth year of `Asianinvasion' of British Open, leading trio on this year's Asian PGA circuitYeh Wei-Tze of Taiwan, England's Simon Dyson and Randhawa all qualified tojoin last year's APGA Order of Merit leader Kyi Hla Han of Myanmar at thechampionship at the home of golf.

In the final qualifying at four different venues, Asian stars celebrated araging success earning their prized spots with superb rounds. Randhawa wasplaced joint fourth at Scotscraig and was in the company of Scot SamTorrance, the 2001 Ryder Cup captain of Europe. ``Reaching my first major isa big step for my career and it feels really good. This is what professionalgolfers prepare so hard for and it is good that all the work has paid off,''said a jubilant Randhawa.

Randhawa almost missed his boat with his shaky start. A poor opening drivelanded in thick rough and he barely got the ball out with the second shot.At the fourth hole, he three putted from 15 feet but Randhawa did not losehis sight of an Open berth.

``It was a really rocky start but I did not panic. I managed to birdie theseventh and ninth to get back to even par with some solid putts. The birdieat the seventh was from 20 feet and then I two-putted the par five ninth foranother birdie.

At Lundin Links, Ghei struggled in the windy conditions as he posted aone-over-par 72 for a 142 aggregate, five strokes outside the play-off groupof eight players who battled for the last ticket and the right to be thefirst alternate for the Millennium Open.Indrajit Bhalotia struggled to a 76at Ladybank after shooting a 75 on Sunday, while Atwal improved his opening73 by three shots, but was well off the qualifying mark.