Former Southend based golf professional Brett Taylor, 29, who has been working at Rayleigh Karting to raise extra cash, has won himself a late call-up to play in the world's greatest golf championship.
Late withdrawals from the big event, which starts tomorrow, have allowed Taylor, who lives in Wickford, a place in the star-studded field at Royal Troon, where favourites for glory include Tiger Woods and Ernie Els.
After successfully battling through the regional qualifying competition at Hadley Wood with a 72, former Thorpe Hall amateur Taylor, who is now an unattached pro, looked to have heartbreakingly just missed the boat at Glasgow Gailes in the final qualifying.
This took place over four courses, but there were just 15 places in the Open field available for 384 competing golfers.
And Taylor, after shooting 73 and 69 for 142, was beaten in a sudden-death play-off. That left him fourth on the list of reserves hoping for a late call-up.
And he was overjoyed when he received the telephone call from organisers late last night to take his place in the field when Australian Andre Stolz pulled out.
Published Wednesday July 14, 2004
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