Duo battle for Open chance

Thomas Bjorn and Thomas Levet, both runners-up in The Open in the last seven years, are among 96 players at Sunningdale tomorrow competing for 10 places at Turnberry next month.

Shane Lowry, the 22-year-old who at the Irish Open last month became only the third amateur to win a European Tour event, is also in the field and so is Christian Cevaer – winner of the European Open a week ago.

Bjorn led by three with four to play in the 2003 championship at Sandwich, but bogeyed the 15th, double-bogeyed the short 16th and dropped another shot at the next to lose by one to American Ben Curtis.

Twelve months before that Levet tied with Ernie Els, Stuart Appleby and Steve Elkington at Muirfield, was still level with Els after a four-hole play-off, but then lost at the first extra hole.

Two rounds are played, one over the Old Course and one over the New, to decide the qualifiers, with a play-off at the end if necessary.