Alex Maguire keeping good company ahead of major debut

The Irish amateur had been a spectator at last year’s 150th Open at St Andrews. On Monday he was playing an Open layout and preparing for a week inside the ropes

Tue, 18 Jul, 2023 - 01:00

Simon Lewis, Hoylake

Winning the St Andrews Links Trophy helped Laytown & Bettystown amateur Alex Maguire book his place in the 151st Open Championship but there was an unexpected bonus awaiting the Irish international when he arrived at Royal Liverpool on Sunday.

Qualifying for the oldest major championship was a dream come true for the 22-year-old, who earned his ticket to Hoylake by topping the R&A’s Open Amateur Series standings thanks to that victory at the Home of Golf last month, his East Of Ireland success and reaching the Amateur Championship quarter-finals at Lancashire’s Hillside in quick succession on his return home from Florida Atlantic University.