Singh handed Open spot

Vijay Singh, joint runner-up the last time The Open was held at Sandwich in 2003, will have the chance to play in next week’s championship there – if he is fit enough.

The former world number one pulled out of last week’s AT&T National in America with back trouble, but is one of five players added to The Open field today off the world rankings.

Singh is joined by Americans Webb Simpson, JB Holmes and Steve Marino and Japan’s Yuta Ikeda.

The places became available to them because of who won this season’s big events - Rory McIlroy (US Open), Charl Schwartzel (The Masters), KJ Choi (Players Championship) and Luke Donald (BMW PGA Championship) were already exempt – and because past champions Nick Faldo and Greg Norman decided not to play.

Australian Brendan Jones is now first reserve and will be waiting for news on whether Tiger Woods makes the trip.