The Open: Matthew Southgate fights again tears after qualifying

Englishman Matthew Southgate has been linked to the Open Championship for many years.

So it’s no shock that he displayed such emotion after qualifying for this 12 months’s Open at Royal Troon, which is able to mark his sixth look in golf’s oldest main. Southgate carded a 6-under 136 over 36 holes at Royal Cinque Ports to take house medalist honors by three photographs on the Southeast England qualifier.

“Sorry,” Southgate mentioned, fighting back tears.

“Just jogs my memory of my Dad. The Open is the very best.”

His father, Ian, who sadly handed away in late 2020, beloved The Open virtually as a lot as his son. He grew keen on Tom Watson within the Seventies when the American started to dominate links-style golf in earnest. The elder Southgate additionally held a membership at Carnoustie, the place Watson received his first Open in 1975. Ian Southgate knew everybody on the course and had for years, which explains why 10-year-old Matthew watched Jean van de Vedle’s notorious 1999 collapse play out from one of the vital famend locations in golf.

“The marshalls referred to as me and my pals over to sit down on the Barry Burn bridge,” Southgate advised the Global Golf Post ultimately 12 months’s Open at Royal Liverpool.

“My legs had been dangling over the water as I watched every little thing occur.”

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His Open championship recollections as a teenager don’t finish there.

A decade later, when Watson held the 54-hole lead at The Open, the Southgate father-son duo acquired of their automobile on Saturday evening and drove as much as Turnberry. They couldn’t miss the possibility to see their favourite participant make historical past.

Alas, Watson fell simply in need of Stewart Cink in a playoff. But Southgate has gone on to make loads of Open recollections since then.

He first certified for The Open in 2014 at Royal Liverpool, the place he missed the lower. But two years later, he tied for twelfth at Royal Troon. Then he tied for sixth at Royal Birkdale, which noticed Jordan Spieth win the Claret Jug. He earned an invitation again to The Open in 2018—held at Carnoustie—however tied for 67th. At least he made the lower.

But that might be the final Open his father would see him play.

Photo by Tom Dulat/R&A through Getty Images

Southgate didn’t qualify for The Open at Royal Portrush in 2019, after which, one 12 months later, the R&A canceled their marquee occasion due to the pandemic. Southgate additionally missed out on 2021 and 2022, however he joined the Open radio commentary staff for the one hundred and fiftieth Open, lending his perspective about what performed out on the Old Course.

Funny sufficient, this 12 months, after qualifying, he joked about his broadcasting expertise.

“That’s why I attempted so arduous over the past 5 holes; I didn’t wish to work it once more,” Southgate mentioned, which drew loads of laughs on The Open radio broadcast.

“No, I can’t wait to see all people. Troon is a magical golf course.”

Southgate additionally certified for The Open final 12 months at Royal Liverpool and performed properly. He tied for twenty third.

But the Englishman has not been at his greatest all through 2024. His greatest end got here on the ISPS Handa Championship in Japan in April, when he tied for 18th. He has not made a lower on the DP World Tour since then.

“I’ve had such a tricky time the final couple of months, however I performed rather well at present,” Southgate mentioned.

“It has been catastrophe after catastrophe, so to lastly get one thing to go proper simply means every little thing.”

Now, he’ll play in The Open at Royal Troon for the second time, the course the place Watson received his fourth Claret Jug in 1982. So, maybe Southgate—like Todd Hamilton and Ben Curtis earlier this Millenium—can proceed to play in addition to he did in qualifying, shock the world, and win The Open as an final longshot.

Regardless of what occurs, his father will smile down upon him with nice delight, understanding that his son has already achieved a lot.

Jack Milko is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be certain to take a look at @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You can comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko as properly.