Ashington's Ferrie is resurgent in qualifying

Posted by The Journal on Jul 6, 09 08:41 AM in Sport

Chris Paisley's run of good form has continued ahead of The Open Championship's Local Final Qualifying which starts today, when he plays in the same field as a resurgent Kenneth Ferrie.

Ashington's Ferrie, whose career has been in the doldrums for more than two years, makes his challenge on the back of finishing in a four-way tie for sixth position in the French Open yesterday, shooting a last-round score of four-under 67 for an eight-under total of 276.

One place in the Open was up for grabs in the European Tour event, but only for somebody non-exempt finishing in the top five. Ferrie and Paul Waring, another English golfer tying sixth, came agonisingly close, though, missing out by one shot.

Ferrie signed for five birdies and a bogey on the front nine. He came home with nine straight pars for his 67, having shot 70, 68 and 71 in the first three rounds.

Ten days ago, Ferrie, twice a winner on the European Tour, had missed every cut of his season but then got through to the weekend in Germany to at last edge into the Race to Dubai listings in 295th position with £5,700 in winnings. Yesterday's cheque for £112,400 lifted him 159 places to 136th.

On Saturday, Stocksfield golfer Paisley was seven under for the 13 holes he needed to win the No 1 singles match for Northumberland in their 12-6 victory over Cheshire.

Last year's England Amateur finalist beat Prestbury's Mike Bedford 6&5 at the Portal club as Northumberland rose to second place in the Northern Counties League.

Within the last fortnight, Paisley has also taken the county title for the second time and equalled the Tyneside course record of 63 in winning the Northumberland and Durham Open, a professional tournament.

Open qualifying today and tomorrow - one round each day - is being played at three Scottish clubs with four spots at Turnberry to be earned at each venue.

Paisley and Ferrie play at Kilmarnock Barassie, as does Jose Maria Olazabal, George Cowan (Westerhope), Ricky Lee (Tyneside) and Graeme Bell (Eaglescliffe).

At Western Gailes, Bamburgh Castle's Garrick Porteous has Fred Couples among his rivals plus Alex Wright (Hartlepool) and James Harper (Seaton Carew). The other qualifying venue is Glasgow's Gailes Links.

Seb Crookall-Nixon, fresh from capturing the England Under-16 Championship for the second year running, triumphed in both his matches as Cumbria beat Yorkshire 12½ - 5½ in Huddersfield to go clear at the top of the Northern Counties League.

Cumbria captain Cliff Heath said: "We have won our last eight matches and we are on a roll.

"This was a full-strength Yorkshire team and we only lost only four of the 18 rubbers against them, a great statistic."

Cumbria's remaining fixtures are against bottom club Durham and fourth placed Lancashire. Northumberland have yet to play Lancashire and Yorkshire.

Durham lost 8½ - 9½ to Lancashire at Castle Eden with Wearsider Richard Walker, a former England Elite squad player, back in the team after 16 years.

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