Copford's Connor Worsdall to compete at Open Championship

The 23-year-old, who plays at the Essex Golf and Country Club, will take part in the showpiece competition at Royal St George's in Sandwich, after a superb performance in qualifying.

Worsdall shot two-under-par in final qualifying at Prince's Golf Club in Sandwich to book his place at the event, with Forgan and Deyen Lawson also making it through.

After progressing through regional qualifying, he shot rounds of 67 and 75 at Prince's to book his place at the prestigious event, which begins on July 15, in Kent.

Shane Constable, who is golf coach at The Essex Golf and Country Club, in Earls Colne, caddied for Worsdall during the qualifying series.

"Connor is very excited to get there now," said Constable, who has been coaching at The Essex for the last ten years and coached Worsdall as a junior.

"He's very excited to meet some of the world's best and see where he fits in amongst them.

"Connor has had it in him for a long, long time and it was all just a case of putting it together.

"In the last month or so, it's all started to come together quite nicely.

"I text him and he said thank you afterwards and I said I always knew he could do it but I never would have imagined that it would happen and I'd be right in the middle of it all.

"It was nerve-racking, in a nice way.

"The two rounds were five hours long and after we got a couple of shots ahead in the first round, I suddenly realised we were on to something quite special.

"It was a very weird experience but Connor did it and he did it fantastically.

"It was surreal and incredible.

"The shot of the day was the two iron into the 17th which was his 35th hole of the day into the wind, from 225 yards.

"He hit a two iron to three feet and made birdie and because we bogeyed the last, it turns out that was the potential life-changing birdie.

"Every single shot and every single hole of the 36 was part of a process for Connor.

"The 18th hole on the final round was treated exactly the same as the first round; it had very much a systematic feel to it.

"I think that's what got the job done really and it was all part of a set of processes.

"He's quite a chilled character and he goes about his business well.

"Connor was back on the driving range the day after, so that was quite something."

Worsdall is likely to have some strong backing from his fellow The Essex Golf and Country Club members at Royal St George's, next week.

"We have so many members from the club who are now all going to support Connor," added Constable, who is good friends with Worsdall and regularly plays and practises with him.

"There will be quite a few members there from the club.

"It flies the flag for the club - we have a wonderful practice facility and there's myself and two other coaches and they've all played their part in Connor's development, even if it's just a conversation with him along the way.

"We're very lucky to have a very good practice facility and Connor has made the most of that, over the years.

"He's had to source a new caddie for the actual Open because I can't carry a tour bag for seven or eight days, as I have spinal problems.

"But I'll be there Monday to Friday, which includes the practice days."