Stephen Gallacher was thrilled to keep his Open dream alive after moving into contention on the opening day of the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open.
The Ryder Cup player is hoping to land one of the three Open spots up for grabs at this week’s £5.6million event at Dundonald Links.
The 42-year-old ended the day inside the top-10 after a bogey-free round of 68, leaving him three shots behind early pacesetter Mikko Ilonen.
Gallacher hopes to follow in the footsteps of Richie Ramsay and David Drysdale who both earned exemptions for Royal Birkdale with high finishes at last week’s Irish Open.
The Press and Journal columnist said: “I’d love to play in the Open so I know I need to perform well.
“I saw a couple of the guys do it last week, which was brilliant to get more Scots in the field.
“It’s been my goal for the last three weeks to get to Birkdale so this is a good start.
“I am using that as motivation. This is my only chance and I’d love to play there.”
Ramsay, in confident mood after his runners-up placing at Portstewart last weekend, continued his fine form by also shooting four under par.
He said: “It was a very steady round with nothing too flashy but I managed to keep the momentum going.
“Last week was a massive boost but this week is a major as far as I’m concerned so I’m trying to get into contention and experience that same feeling of pressure coming down the stretch as there was in Ireland.”
Inverness golfer Russell Knox wasn’t in such an upbeat mood and confessed he feels like golf is punching him in the face at the minute.
The world number 48 has toiled this year so a two over par 74 only added to his frustrations.
He said: “I just feel lost.
“I feel like I am getting some bad breaks and hitting some bad shots.
“And it just feels like I am getting punched over and over.
“I can’t seem to get anything good to happen and it’s very frustrating.
“Everyone knows this is a tough game and we want to do our best.
“And for some reason I just can’t do my best right now.
“So I’ll go back to the drawing board and start again.”
It was a better day for Grantown’s Duncan Stewart who finished 20th in Ireland and made a solid start with a one under par 71.
Aberdeen’s Paul Lawrie began with a disappointing 77, while Nairn amateur Sandy Scott dropped four shots over the closing three holes for a 78.
Fellow Scots Martin Laird (75), Scott Jamieson (76) and Scott Henry (77) also face an uphill task to make the cut but Marc Warren is better placed after a level par 72.