July2 openfarce

Today’s critical Open qualifier at Sunningdale got off to a controversial and farcical start.

In the opening round, eight players were forced to replay the 4th hole after the pin was repositioned following disastrous five and four putts respectively by Argentinian Ricardo Gonzalez and Brett Rumford.

After the end of their rounds the players had another crack at the 4th and it was certainly a lucky break for a relieved Gonzalez, who initially carded a triple-bogey six, but managed a par second time round which enabled him to register a three-under-par 67.

However, both Swede Fredrik Andersson Hed and Richard Bland were left bemused after taking more shots than they had initially. Andersson Hed double-bogeyed second time round after registering a par, while Bland took a three after a birdie two at his first attempt.

Gonzalez is two shots off the first round lead held by Spain’s Fernandez-Castano and Scot Alastair Forsyth. Five players shot opening round 66s, including Spain’s experienced campaigner Miguel Angel Jiminez.

The field are chasing just a dozen spots for this month’s Open at Carnoustie and will be hoping to secure their places in this afternoon’s second round. But there’s no Jean Van de Velde – the Frenchman, who would have won the last Open at Carnoustie in 1999 but for an infamous visit to the Barry Burn on the final hole, pulled out for health reasons.