Robertson tees-up dream debut at Open after qualifying thriller

05/07/2023

He had to do it the hard way, but Graeme Robertson stood firm and sealed an Open Championship debut in a thrilling Final Qualifying shoot-out at Dundonald Links.

In the lengthening shadows of an Ayrshire evening, the 35-year-old, currently in second year of the PGA training programme, finally came through at the fifth play-off hole against fellow Scot, Craig Ross, to grab a tee-time for this month’s shimmering showpiece at Hoylake.

With just four qualifying spots up for grabs in the 36-hole scramble, Robertson came with a late charge in his second round and birdied three of his last five holes in a 71 to finish on three-under and go into a three-man play-off for the two remaining Hoylake berths.

That round was concluded by a raking birdie putt of some 40 feet on his last hole. In a tense sudden-death play-off, which just about left nervous, nibbled nails scattered beside the green, Robertson trundled in another 40-footer for birdie to clinch his Open place in spectacular fashion.

“I felt it was slipping away, but I managed to birdie three out of the last five holes and holed a very good one at the last.

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It had been an epic, exhausting day and the emotion was there for all to see as the magnitude of the moment left Robertson with tears in his eyes.

“I’m getting on in years and you don’t think these opportunities will come,” he said. “I was thinking about Hoylake all the way round, non-stop. I can’t believe it’s going to happen.”

A former amateur stand-out, Robertson finally made the leap into the paid ranks in 2021 after putting those ambitions on hold for a prolonged spell to support his family.

While his wife finished off a Masters degree, the Glenbervie man went into full-time employment as a building supplies salesman. Less birdies and bogeys, more bricks and mortar. Now he’s set to rub shoulders with the game’s superstars in golf’s most cherished major championship.

“Dreams do come true,” he added. “If you had said to me four or five years ago, when I was sitting behind a computer desk all day, Monday to Friday, that I would be playing in The Open there’s no way I would have believed it. It’s amazing.

“I started with a two-under round in the morning which was decent, but it was a bit of a roller-coaster for me in the second round. I got it to two-under but then had three bogeys in a row and I holed a 15-footer for one of those, which was important.

“I felt it was slipping away, but I managed to birdie three out of the last five holes and holed a very good one at the last.

"I just said to myself ‘give it a chance’ and it was maybe going ten feet past as I definitely wasn’t going to leave it short. It was a good one to hole. I couldn’t have done any more. I left it all out there on the last five holes.”

Robertson was all set to defend the Scottish Young Professionals’ Championship at Crieff this week but got a late call-up to the Final Qualifying event from the reserve list. It was an opportunity too good to turn down and now he has earned the ultimate reward.

“I was a late withdrawal from the Young Pros but hopefully they won’t mind when I’m representing The PGA at The Open,” added Robertson with a smile.