DREAMS of rubbing shoulders with Tiger Woods and Justin Rose will have to wait another year for an Ealing Golf Club teenager and one of his former club-mates.
Pavan Sagoo headed for Scotland this week hoping to emulate the exploits of Ealing’s director of golf Ricky Willison, who not only played in the 1987 British Open, but was also the amateur bronze medal winner of that year.
Sadly, however, 17-year-old Pavan will now have to watch the events at Muirfield in two weeks’ time from his television set after failing to get one of the few places up for grabs in the final rounds of qualifying at Musselburgh on Monday and Tuesday.
Former Ealing member Yasin Ali, now a professional based in Dubai, also came up short in his bid to mix it with the great and the good of the sport after not making it through his last chance rounds at Dunbar.
Nevertheless Willison is convinced it is only a matter of time before the likes of Sagoo and Ali put Ealing on the map once more on golf’s biggest stage.
He said: “A few years ago, Ealing Golf Club was constantly making news because of the success of their members.
“On one occasion we had three members play in consecutive Open Championships. I see those days returning, with the exploits of guys like Pav and Yas.”
Sagoo, who had finished second in last week’s regional qualifying at Bucks GC behind tour star Zane Scotland, effectively saw his hopes dashed by a four over par round of 75 on Monday.
He improved to a 72 24 hours later but this was seven 11 shots too many to grab one of just a few places on offer.
Ali on the other hand would have gone to sleep on Monday night with his hopes intact after a first round 67 at Dunbar, in Scotland, just two off the lead and bang in contention.
However, his dreams evaporated on Tuesday courtesy of a second round 74.
