Campbell bids for Open spot

Campbell: Bidding to make the Open field

Michael Campbell and Chris Wood are two of the standout names in action at Open qualifying on Tuesday.

A total of 288 players are battling it out for just 12 places, with a the field split over four courses - Southport and Ainsdale, West Lancs, Hillside and St Annes Old Links.

The 72 players at each course will play 36 holes and just three from each venue will qualify for the Open itself at Royal Lytham later this month.

Former US Open champion Campbell has crashed to 910th in the world rankings - he has made only two cuts in his last 20 tournaments - and could not even get into the field for last week's international qualifier at Sunningdale.

Instead the New Zealander will bid for an Open spot at the West Lancs course near Liverpool before then travelling on to Paris for the French Open starting on Thursday.

Bristol's Chris Wood, fifth at Birkdale in 2008 as an amateur and then third at Turnberry a year later, has chosen this route to try to make it to Royal Lytham and he plays at St Annes, as do former Ryder Cup trio Barry Lane, Jarmo Sandelin and Paul Broadhurst - still joint holder of a major record with the 63 he shot at St Andrews back in 1990.

Three-time Tour winner Nick Dougherty, who lost his card last season after a nightmare time in which he survived only one cut in over 30 starts, plays at Southport and Ainsdale, while Hillside sees ex-Ryder Cup teammates Peter Baker and Mark James playing together.

Others on the same course include James Conteh, son of former world boxing champion John, and Australian Bryden Macpherson, who turned professional after playing in The Masters in April as British amateur champion.

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