Graeme Robertson

Robertson sank a putt of nearly 40 feet on the fifth hole of a sudden death play-off to grab the last of the four Hoylake spots on offer in the 36-hole Final Qualifying event at Dundonald Links on July 4.

After he tied on three-under-par with fellow Scot Craig Ross and Australian Connor McKinney, the 35-year-old from Falkirk hit a provisional at the start of the shoot-out, but found the original ball and after missing a four-foot putt on the second extra hole – a hole McKinney birdied to go through – he ended the hopes of Ross in dramatic fashion.

“It’s a dream come true,” Robertson said. “I played golf as an amateur to a good level and then maybe stopped it for six or seven years and worked full-time and didn’t play a lot of golf. I’m just coming back to it, so if you had said to me that four or five years ago when I was sitting behind a computer desk 7:30 to 5, Monday to Friday, that I’d be playing in The Open there’s no way I would have believed it.

"It hasn’t quite sunk in yet, but it feels good and I can’t wait for it to happen.”