More than 2000 golfers competed this Monday in the regional qualifier of the 153rd edition of the Open. Fifteen venues hosted golfers from around the world in search of one of the 131 spots available for the Final Qualifying taking place on 1st July. The penultimate step before the Open.
Among those more than two thousand players were six members of the Armada. Well, with epic determination and at the last moment, the young amateur Raúl Gómez surpassed his qualifier in Rochester to reach the decisive event. 36 holes separate him from the Open, 36 holes from his first Major. This young promise of Alicante golf is not yet of age.
The Spaniard qualified in an epic playoff where seven players competed for four spots. To be honest, the day didn’t start very well for Gómez. Two early bogeys didn’t seem to set the stage in his favour. However, he responded with five consecutive birdies that lifted him within the cut. He finished the intense first nine holes with a bogey and a two-under-par score. He returned to -3 with a birdie on the 14th hole that seemed to set things very much in his favour. He was the leader at that moment in the qualifier. However, the joy was short-lived as a double bogey cost him all the advantage.
He would play his chances in the playoff where he managed to overcome the nerves and secure one of the nine spots available at the Rochester & Cobham Park event. Raúl will fight for a place in the last Major of the year.
The Alicante amateur recently played in the The Amateur Championship last week and was a semi-finalist a few weeks ago in the semi-finals of the Copa de Su Majestad el Rey. Arizona State, the university where Jon Rahm, David Puig, and Josele Ballester have been forged, has already set its sights on him, and he will join their ranks in September 2026.
In the same event, fellow amateur Alberto Domínguez (PAR) came close to emulating Raúl. He was just one shot away from going into that same playoff. He finished with nine consecutive pars and did not achieve the goal. It should be mentioned that only twelve players managed to beat the English course. Just one shot behind is the third Spanish amateur competing in the event, Esteban Vázquez (+1). He was also very close to the playoff, but two bogeys on the last two flags distanced him from the dream of the Final Qualifying.
The other three Spaniards played at three different venues. Calvin Greschner (+2) delivered a good performance and was three shots away from a playoff at Moor Park. Juan Ramón Amador was further from the goal, while Antonio Badiola handed in a card of thirteen over par at The Island.
Last year, nine Spaniards played in this event, and none managed to surpass it. This year at least one has succeeded.
The final qualifying, which will determine who will play the British, will be held on 1st July at four courses: Burnham & Berrow, Dundonald Links, Royal Cinque Ports, and West Lancashire.
