“This Is a Bigger Deal Than I Thought It Was”: PGA Tour Pro Sheds Light on the Grueling Qualifying Finals of the 2023 Open Championship

In the world of golf, the Open Championship is the pinnacle of excellence. Almost every golfer seeks a chance to play in the tournament; lifting the Claret Jug is not everyone’s dream. But qualifying is not easy. By all accounts, it is a Herculean task.

Let’s find out what it takes to qualify for the Open Championship finals? What does a golfer endure during the qualifying process? One PGA Tour Pro sheds light on the experience. Read on.

Overwhelming experience for Brian McCormack

Brian McCormack, the two-time PGA Ireland region winner in 2023, shared his experience of a qualifying event at Dundonald Links. “It was something so small, you go in to register, and they give you a Claret Jug badge for your hat that the pros get at the actual Open Championship, you can’t buy that,” McCormack said. 

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McCormack admitted that he had underestimated how big the qualifying event was. He had only played in two Open Regional Qualifiers. This is why he felt lucky to get a spot at Baltray this year. Surprisingly, McCormack never took the time to look at the final venues. When given four choices and asked to pick the venue according to his preference, he chose one without looking at it. As luck would have it, he picked Dundonald Links in Scotland.

“I saw the draw and initially Michael Block was out before me and Matt Kuchar after me and I was like ‘wait a minute’ this is a bigger deal than I thought it was.” McCormack was overwhelmed. 

Failing to qualify but leaving with great memories

Not being able to qualify did not leave McCormack disheartened. Rather the opposite as it was a learning experience for him. According to him, it gave him newfound confidence in his ability. “I didn’t qualify in the end but I was happy enough with how I handled myself in that scenario and I understand that I can,” he said.

A frequent contender on the Irish PGA Tour, McCormack has seven professional wins. These wins include The Straffan Pro-Am in 2020 at the K Club. At the Mount Julie Estate Pro-Am, McCormack claimed the win by two strokes against Sean O’Donoghue. 

McCormack’s journey to the Open Championship ended prematurely but he is ready for his next shot. He believes he has learned a lot and is ready for the next opportunity to prove his point. 

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