Sergio Garcia, a former Masters champion and Ryder Cup legend, has attributed his missed qualification for the Open Championship to a "dodgy lunch" that left him feeling unwell.
Garcia was competing in the final qualifying event at West Lancs, aiming to secure a spot at Royal Birkdale. He had positioned himself well after the morning round, sitting at four-under par with an opening 68. However, his performance deteriorated significantly in the afternoon, with a second-round 75 resulting in a total of one-under par, well short of the eight-under mark required to qualify.
"I had a little bit of food there in the players' lounge and it did not sit well with me," Garcia, 46, said. "I only ate the lasagne. I thought maybe have a little pasta and stuff, but for some reason it didn't sit well with me. I just felt nauseous the whole front nine. In the afternoon, I felt like I was going to vomit pretty much on every hole."
Despite the discomfort, Garcia opted to continue playing, hoping his condition would improve. "I thought about stopping after nine holes. But I thought, well, let's play a couple more and see if I get something going, but unfortunately it didn't happen," he added.
Other Qualifiers Secure Spots
At Dundonald Links in Ayrshire, local golfer Jack McDonald secured his place at the Open Championship by finishing at the top of his qualifying group. McDonald posted rounds of 70 and 69, finishing on five-under par.
McDonald, who has previously qualified at Dundonald for the 2024 Open at Royal Troon, expressed his satisfaction with his performance. He noted that he had played limited golf recently, balancing PGA events with other work. He is now planning a holiday to Rome before preparing for the championship.
Matthew Baldwin of England also qualified at Dundonald, finishing one shot behind McDonald on four-under par. For Baldwin, a Southport native and member at Royal Birkdale, qualifying for an Open at his home course holds significant personal meaning. The 40-year-old stated that it would be his last realistic chance to play an Open at Birkdale, completing a set of Opens played at Lytham, Hoylake, and now Birkdale.