Cork amateur David Howard books fairytale Open spot

Howard claimed one of the 20 spots available in final qualifying

David Howard finished tied for second in final qualifying at Dundonald Links. Pic: ©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo

Fota Island amateur David Howard has qualified for The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale after finishing tied for second in final qualifying at Dundonald Links.

The Cork native, ranked as the 1456th amateur in the world, finished on four-under for the 36 holes at the Scottish course. Conditions were benign in terms of the wind, though still quite damp. 

The 27-year-old shot a three-under 69 for his opening round. His second round was dreamlike initially as he moved to seven-under by the 11th. There were three birdies, an eagle, and a bogey along the way. 

He then survived a late scare after carding a bogey on 12 and a double-bogey on 16. It was still good enough to claim one of the coveted places at The Open, which gets underway on July 16. 

“It’s mad. It’s hard to put into words at the moment," Howard told Bunkered.co.uk. “But I’m really looking forward to it. Nervy finish, but I was fairly in control all day and played well.

“I haven’t even been to The Open, to watch it before. I’ve only ever watched it on TV. So, I’m looking forward to teeing it up with all the big shots.”

It is another remarkable chapter in Howard's golf career. Aged seven, Howard was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. It is a condition which he has to manage daily.

In his late teens, Howard began to take golf seriously. He won the Muskerry Scratch Cup in 2019 but the covid pandemic slowed his progress. It was a period during which the former mechanic struggled with his mental health. He recovered, and his form on the course return too. Last year, he won the East of Ireland Championship at Baltray. 

“My mentality was really good all day," Howard added. “Keeping to one shot at a time, I’ve worked with a psychologist the last few months, so it’s nice to see that work out.

“I’m playing for Munster in a regional team event next week, so I’ll have fun with that, so I’ll try to figure that out and see what’s to come.”

There were 20 places at The Open up for grabs across the four courses hosting final qualifying. Burnham & Berrow, Royal Cinque Ports and West Lancashire were the other three venues.