Brocket Hall golfers qualifies for The Open

GOLF: FORMER Sir John Lawes pupil Tom Shadbolt will take his place in The Open Championship 2011 after securing progress from the qualifying rounds last week.

Shadbolt joined fellow Herts players Mark Laskey and Tom Lewis in qualifying for the event which is being held at Royal St George’s Golf Course from Sunday for a week.

Shadbolt competed in the qualifying event around Prince’s Golf Club with the Brocket Hall golfer enjoying rounds of 66 and 73 to finish five under par taking joint second place with Prince’s own Francis McGuirk who also shot 139.

Of his qualification Shadbolt said: “It’s great, I have been playing well for a while and thought that something would happen for me.

“It’s my first major, it’s going to be great, words could not describe the feeling when I qualified. My dad was on the bag and he and my mum are over the moon. I just have to go there and treat it just like any other tournament.”

Speaking of the success he and his fellow Herts golfers have had, Shadbolt added: “It’s great for Hertfordshire and England that we have all qualified.

“It’s weird how three players from the same area have all qualified especially as there were only 12 places to play for.”