Golf by Alan Booth GRAHAM POVEY is the only Herts amateur to win through a qualifying round for a place in the Open Championship, to be played at Turnberry from July 16-19. He is joined by two former county players, now professionals, Tom Haylock and Ja

Golf by Alan Booth

GRAHAM POVEY is the only Herts amateur to win through a qualifying round for a place in the Open Championship, to be played at Turnberry from July 16-19.

He is joined by two former county players, now professionals, Tom Haylock and James Jankowski, who competed in regional qualifying, Povey and Haylock at Abridge in Essex and Jankowski at Old Fold Manor, and now go through to final qualifying at courses close to the Open venue next Monday and Tuesday.

Povey, from Brickendon Grange, a former Herts order of merit winner and leading qualifier for the recent county championship, won through at Abridge in style, a round of 70 giving him top place by two strokes in a field of 90 players. Former Herts Colts champion Tom Haylock (The Hertfordshire), now professional, also joined him with a round of 73 for third place.

Only 10 places were on offer and among amateurs who missed out were former Herts Boys and Colts champion Glen Portelli (Brickendon Grange), with 78. and pro Luke Gutteridge (Porters Park) 77.

At Old Fold Manor former amateur James Jankowski (Potters Bar), with 69 for third place and former Herts Amateur champion Carl Duke (unattached) with 70 were the only Herts players to qualify, though Michael Moore (Porters Park) gained a reserve place on 72.

Amateurs Ryan Newman (Brookmans Park), 72, former Boys champion James Watts (East Herts), 73, Jason Court (Sandy Lodge), recent Herts Championship finalist, 73, former county champion Tom Shadbolt (Mid Herts), 77, and Christopher Barnes (Mill Green), 81, failed to qualify, along with Ashridge professional Peter Cherry, 72.

Former county players now pros to miss out included former Colts champion James Ruebotham (Welwyn Garden City), 74, former Herts champion Robert Leonard (Mid Herts) 75, and James Conteh (Moor Park) 74.

In final qualifying next Monday and Tuesday when only the top four at each course go into the Open, Povey and Haylock are first on the tee at 7am at Glasgow Gailes and Western Gailes respectively, and 10.22 the next day. Jankowski tees off at Kilmarnock Barassie at 12.27 Monday, and 09.05 the next day.