Dunlap truly enjoys British Open qualifying
Across the street from where he sat enjoying World Cup soccer and a few libations at the bar with friends was the Old Course, site of the Open Championship in two weeks.
And it didn’t much matter that he had just failed in his own attempt to make the field through Local Final Qualifying just down the road at Fairmont St Andrews.
“Getting in would have been a bonus,” he said.
For years, Dunlap, 46, has made this an annual rite of summer. A one-time PGA Tour member who now plays on the Nationwide Tour, Dunlap makes the journey every year despite the long odds.
The way qualifying is now, only three players from each of four venues make the Open field. Dunlap shot 1 under par, good for a tie for 13th, which missed by five strokes. But he wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I’ve always made a trip out of it over the years,” said Dunlap, who lives in Atlanta. “I’ve probably played every golf course worth playing over every square inch of the British Isles. I’ve had no shortage of friends who’ve come over. I just think it’s a neat tournament. I was disappointed the R&A changed the format.”
No doubt, qualifying for the Open has changed, and not everyone feels for the better. Years ago, the entire field had to endure 36-hole qualifying. Over time, exemptions were instituted, but qualifying still was a big part of the Open.
There was no international qualifying in 1997 when Dunlap made it for the first time. If you were not exempt, the only other way into the field was to play a qualifier at one of four sites. There were typically 14 spots available.
In 1999, Dunlap made it into the field at Carnoustie and finished 10th. That same year, both winner Paul Lawrie and hard-luck playoff loser Jean Van de Velde advanced through 36-hole qualifying on the Sunday and Monday of Open week.
Dunlap, who was exempt on the PGA Tour in 1997 and again from 1999 through 2002, got a spot in the Open field in 2000 by virtue of his 1999 finish, but has not made it back since.
And yet he heads overseas for the qualifier regardless.
“You’re trying to qualify for the golf tournament in the world,” he said. “And then I play some of the best golf courses in the world with really good friends and have a great time. I always shake my head at guys who don’t do this. It’s some of the best golf experiences I’ve had.”
Now the qualifying system is virtually void of name players. When international qualifying was instituted in 2004 at locations in the United States, South Africa, Asia, Australia and Europe, the number of spots at the locals dwindled. And then it was moved to two weeks prior to the tournament.
Dunlap traveled the U.K. over the weekend and had plans to play Cruden Bay on Wednesday, Nairn and Castle Stuart on Thursday and Royal Dornoch on Friday. Over the weekend, it’ll be a round at North Berwick — which he said is “my favorite course in the world”
Then it’ll be back home and to the Nationwide Tour, where Dunlap has two top-10 finishes this year and is 66th on the money list.
Only four Americans made the trek to Local Final Qualifying, none making the field. Card-carrying tour members can still get a spot with a high finish this week at the AT&T National or next week at the John Deere Classic.
And back in May, the R&A held a U.S.-based qualifier outside of Dallas, where eight players earned spots.
It is a much easier process than what Dunlap attempted, and yet a good many players do not try.
“I’m 60-something on the Nationwide money list, so you can only imagine what I think of guys who are in a similar position on the PGA Tour money list who don’t bother,” Dunlap said. “I kind of feel pity. If they haven’t ever gone but don’t want to miss the John Deere Classic or something, then I just feel pity.”
Dunlap won’t be in the Open field, but at least he gave it a shot.
“I just love the experience,” he said.
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