Jimmy Bullard, a former Premier League footballer, has again failed to qualify for The Open golf championship, missing out on a spot in the Final Qualifying stage for the second year in a row. The 47-year-old was among over 2,000 amateur players competing in Regional Qualifying events held last weekend.
Bullard participated at the Rochester & Cobham Park golf club, where only the top 124 players advanced. Playing off scratch, he finished one over par, falling two shots short of the cut-off for the next stage. He acknowledged prior to the event that he had decided to compete somewhat hastily, noting he had "not playing great" in the weeks leading up to the qualifier.
His round began with a challenging start on the first hole, a 439-yard par four, where an errant driver shot led to him playing out of the rough and failing to save par. He recovered to level par with a birdie on the third hole and maintained that score through several subsequent holes. A birdie on the tenth hole brought him to one under par, but a wayward iron shot on the par-three eleventh resulted in a bogey, and he finished his round at +1.
Discussing his performance on his Golf Life YouTube channel, Bullard cited his "really bad" driving on the front nine as a key factor. He expressed that while he found his driver later in the round and had a strong back nine, particularly with his wedge play and putting, the initial struggles on the first hole were costly. "I just felt it was there. I started so badly with that tee shot on one. Way too aggressive," he stated. Despite the setback, Bullard remains optimistic, believing he can qualify for the next stage.
Other notable figures from the sporting and entertainment world also participated in the qualifying rounds. Ex-Stoke City striker Peter Odemwingie competed at Enville golf club but recorded a score of 12-over par. YouTube golf personalities Peter Finch and Rick Shiels, along with former Somerset cricketer Peter Trego, were also among the celebrities who competed but did not make the cut.
Bullard, who retired from football in 2012, has been an active golfer. He previously competed in five events on the now-defunct EuroPro Tour between 2014 and 2016. He also co-hosts the Golf Life YouTube channel, where he plays golf with various past and present football stars, including Mason Mount, James Maddison, and John Terry.