Corkman David Howard, diagnosed with cystic fibrosis when he was seven years old, has earned a fairytale ticket to the Open Championship after coming through final qualifying on Tuesday.
Howard has defied the odds to carve out a career as a full-time golfer.
Now, the former mechanic has scaled new heights, holding his nerve to seal a golden ticket to next month’s tournament at Royal Birkdale.
It’s a sensational achievement by the 27-year-old who only really started to seriously focus on golf in his late teens. Howard is 1,456th in the world amateur rankings.
Four final qualifying events took place over the last two days, with over 70 players in each field competing across 36 holes for five Open spots at each event, 20 spots in total.
Howard – an ambassador for Cystic Fibrosis Ireland – was on the Dundonald Links course.
Having carded a first-round 69 to give himself a strong platform, the Fota Island man produced the goods in the decisive second round, surviving a bogey on the 16th to finish on four-under overall, which was enough to finish in a tie for second.
That sends Howard through to the prestigious tournament which begins on 16 July.
Last Saturday another Irishman, Stuart Grehan, won the Amateur Championship at Royal Liverpool to secure qualification for the Open Championship, and earn an invite to the 2027 Masters and US Open.