Alex Wrigley

Married to Ladies European Tour player Johanna Gustavsson who, with three second places and four other top 10s in the first half of this season had already put herself in line for a place at the AIG Women’s Open on August 4-7.

Wrigley qualified through the 36-hole Final Qualifying event at Fairmont St Andrews on June 28. He was called up as a reserve from Regional Qualifying and after a chip-in eagle on the 16th hole of his second round he tied with 2020 Scottish Open champion Aaron Rai and Dutchman Lars van Meijel for third place.

That meant a play-off for two spots at St Andrews and it was Rai who missed out. “I rang Johanna and she said ‘what’s happened?’ and I just said ‘you’re not the only person playing in The Open this year!'”

He turned professional in 2008 and became Gustavsson’s coach in 2016, but has also taught in the north-east and played in two PGA Cup matches.

He added that being with his now wife “has given me access to some of the best players in the women's game. It's been a great learning curve for me to see what makes them so good.”