Connor McKinney

Australian McKinney returned to the country of his birth for the 36-hole Final Qualifying event at Dundonald Links on July 4 and made birdie on the second extra hole of a sudden death play-off to take the third of four Hoylake places up for grabs.

He initially had to survive the 18-hole regional qualifier at Alwoodley in Leeds and did so with just a stroke to spare on level par, then shot three under in Scotland to tie with Scots Graeme Robertson and Craig Ross.

“To play in golf’s oldest Championship as your first major and having grown up watching The Open is pretty special,” said the 21-year-old, who plays out of the Joondalup course in Perth.

“I have been to a few watching all the great names coming through and it’s something I have always dreamed of. You don’t really know when it’s going to happen I guess. You have to envision it, but it’s a pretty surreal feeling to be sure.”

Joint 34th at last December’s Australian Open, he has been competing this season on the European Challenge Tour and last month tied for fifth at the Kaskada Challenge in the Czech Republic.