LIV Golf star snatches qualification for The Open as agony turns to ecstasy

Abraham Ancer was on the brink of snapping his putter in frustration, convinced he’d blown his chance at a coveted spot in the Open Championship at Royal Troon, with the tournament just two weeks away.

But in a dramatic twist, the LIV Golf ace secured his place in Scotland, edging out fellow LIV competitor Anirban Lahiri in a tense three-for-two play-off at the Burnham and Berrow Golf Club in the southwest of England.

The University of Oklahoma legend had set an impressive pace early on during the 36-hole qualifier, firing off a six-under-par 65 to edge ahead of former U. S. Open champ Justin Rose by a single stroke after the first round.

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Despite a solid start to his second round, the 33-year-old’s fortunes took a turn for the worse post-turn, with a bogey at the 12th and a disastrous triple-bogey six at the par-three 14th causing him to tumble down the leaderboard.

Ancer managed to claw back with a birdie at the 15th, yet squandered further opportunities as he closed the round over par, finishing the tournament five-under overall. A crucial par-saving putt on the 18th kept his playoff hopes alive, even as he appeared visibly agitated, poised to snap his putter over his knee.

Speaking to Mirror Sports US shortly after, Ancer was visibly downcast, lamenting that he “shot himself in the foot” and ruing his erratic back nine which he feared had dashed his Open dreams. However, a late-game stumble from Charlie Lindh and a double-bogey disaster from South Africa’s Justin Walters flung open the doors for the Fireballs sensation to claw his way into the playoff.

Mexico’s Abraham Ancer, Sweden’s Lindh, and Anirban Lahiri from Bryson DeChambeau’s Crushers were drawn into a three-for-two playoff to identify the final qualifiers after Justin Rose and Dominic Clemons of Stetson University both finished tied for first place with eight-under-par.

After patiently waiting in biting Somerset wind unsure if his day had ended or not, Ancer faced off against the chilly challenge with aplomb. He flawlessly struck a fairway metal off the first tee, securing prime position in the fairway, and ultimately made par alongside Lindh, leaving Lahiri behind with a bogey at the first par-four.

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Beaming with relief, Ancer said: “Yeah, man. There were a lot of emotions on the back nine. It was definitely a rollercoaster but it made it even sweeter going into the playoff and getting the job done. That was really cool, this golf course is phenomenal.

“It was weird. I had to sit back and see what happened. Somebody could have caught fire at the end but it was very tough conditions to do that. It got a lot colder too, but we were ready. We had a little range session and hit some balls so I was ready to go.”

The former world No. 11, currently sitting pretty at 10th in the LIV Golf rankings and fresh from a win in Hong Kong this season, is buzzing with confidence ahead of the Open Championship at Royal Troon on July 18.

“I’m pumped, I can’t wait to be back,” he enthused. “I love playing links golf and I wish I played more of it. It’s my sixth Open in a row so I can’t wait to get there. I’ve just got to play how I play out here. I felt I was in control of my ball flight. I was comfortable moving the ball both ways and you’ve got to make some putts.”

He added, “The game feels good. It’s trending in the right direction. I feel like I’m working on the right things and I’m hitting the right shots. I’ve just got to put some rounds together but I feel really good.”