Price set to miss British Open

Zimbabwe’s Nick Price, winner of the British Open at Turnberry in 1994, has not entered next month’s championship at Hoylake and is set therefore to miss the event for the first time in 20 years.

The 49-year-old was runner-up to Tom Watson at Troon in 1982 and to Seve Ballesteros at Lytham in 1988, but six years later finished birdie eagle par - the eagle was a dramatic 75-foot putt – to turn a three-stroke deficit into a one-stroke victory over Jesper Parnevik.

Price followed that a month later with his second win in three years at the US PGA championship and was world number one for a spell.

There are still some exemptions left at tournaments in the run-up to the British Open and should he gain one of those he would be able to change his mind and play. But having decided not to take up the place available to him as a past champion that seems unlikely.