Tough ask for Olazabal

Double Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal was none too confident today about winning a place in the Open Championship.

Olazabal resumed the final qualifying event at Kilmarnock Barassie in joint 11th place, but needed a top four spot to go through to Turnberry next week.

“I really need something very special and the way I am playing it’s not looking very promising,” said the Spanish star after his three-under-par 70.

His round probably felt worse than it actually was because his Austrian playing partner Markus Brier fired a course record 64 to lead by two from Scotland’s Lloyd Saltman.

Four years ago in the Open at St Andrews Saltman finished a spectacular 15th and was leading amateur.

He has yet to earn a European Tour card as a professional, but what a day this could be for his family as his brother Elliot, at 27 the older by four years, led by two at Glasgow Gailes after a four-under-par 67.