Tom Watson, who was pipped to the Open at Turnberry last year, has confirmed his entry to this July’s 150th anniversary championship at St Andrews.
The 59-year-old’s form arrived at the R&A’s headquarters last night as the Kansas veteran joined past champions John Daly, Ben Curtis, David Duval and Ernie Els on the list of early entrants.
Despite claiming four of his five Claret Jugs on Scottish soil, Watson has never triumphed at the home of golf, although he was runner-up to Seve Ballesteros over the Old Course in 1984.
R&A chiefs are hoping Watson, who missed out on becoming the oldest winner of the Open last July when he lost in a play-off to Stewart Cink, will compete in the Open champions’ challenge, a four-hole shootout on the Wednesday before the championship.
Noh Seung-yul made it a week to remember after the Korean teenager followed up his Malaysian Open victory by claiming one of four qualifying spots for the Open championship.
The 18-year-old carded a four-under-par 68 on the final day of international final qualifying at Saujana Golf and Country Club in Kuala Lumpur to finish 10 under par, level with Danny Chia and one shot behind winner Hiroyuki Fujita, from Japan.
Korean amateur Eric Chun secured the final spot.
“I’m really happy but it hasn’t settled in yet.
“I’m not going to let it get to my head,” said Noh.
Laura Davies opened the defence of her Handa Australian Open title with a leaderboard-topping five- under-par 68.
The four-time major winner shot six birdies and one bogey at the Commonwealth Golf Club, Melbourne, to establish a two-shot lead over a group of six players.
“I putted well last week but I did not hole anything.
“When you have two eight or nine-footers for par and they go straight in the middle, that’s the sort of thing that keeps me going. I had a really short one, a tap-in, on seven,” Davies said.
“I’ve come here in a confident mood, thinking I am one of the players with a chance to win if I play well and putt well and it was a perfect start.”
Rebecca Flood, Felicity Johnson, Jenni Kuosa, Giulia Sergas, Alison Whitaker and Soo-Jin Yang share second after hitting 70s.