Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn has passed up the opportunity in making amends for his 2003 British Open demise by withdrawing from Monday’s International Qualifier at Sunningdale in England.
The 42-year old Dane declares he’s getting ‘too old’ for 36 rounds in a day and instead will seek to qualify for golf’s oldest Major by other means.
A decade ago, Bjorn led the 2003 Open by two shots with three holes to play but a 16th hole double bogey saw him finish joint second and a shot behind American Ben Curtis.
Thomas Bjorn cites ‘old age’ in withdrawing from tomorrow’s Open Championship qualifier at Sunningdale. (Photo – Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ie)
“I just don’t believe it will do my golf any good playing 36 holes on Monday in between two big tournaments like this week’s BMW International Open and next week’s Irish Open,” Bjorn said ahead of the final round of the BMW International Open in Munich.
“I did enter the qualifier at Sunningdale but I’ve since withdrawn as I simply focus on these four weeks – Munich, Irish Open, French Open and the Scottish – and see where it takes me.
“To play at Sunningdale would wreck a lot of the good form I have been showing latterly including getting myself into contention here in Germany.
“So I just want to concentrate on playing golf tournaments and if I play well enough I will qualify for The Open, anyway.”
It means that if Bjorn is to contest a 16th Open Championship in the 20th year of his professional career, he will need to finish top-five from a ‘mini’ money list ending at next fortnight’s French Open or capture the following week’s Scottish Open.
A total of 96 players, headed by 2012 victorious Ryder Cup captain, Jose Maria Olazabal and his 2014 replacement in Ireland’s Paul McGinley, will be vying for some 10 players into the July 18th commencing Major at Muirfield.
