July 04, 2017: Get ready for some #CurryPower at the Open Championship. Shiv Kapur produced a magical seven under 65 on the Marquess’ Course at the Woburn Club. In the final Open qualifying series event, Shiv Kapur played one of the most memorable rounds of golf in recent memory to rise to the top of the leaderboard. The top three non-exempt golfers inside the top 10 of the two round qualifying event earn a spot in the 146th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.
Toby Tree and Ian Poulter, both men chasing a spot, also finished well to be lying just two strokes behind Shiv. Jens Dantorp was in hot pursuit at 6-under with three holes to play. But he dropped a shot at the 17th hole to slip out of contention.
Shiv made a 71 in the opening round, when four birdies did not amount to much. The charismatic Indian golfer had surrendered a double bogey at the par-5 7th hole and a bogey at the 16th to finish the first day at one under par.
But the resolute Shiv, who ended a lengthy eleven year drought in May this year, came out all guns blazing in the second round.
The 35 year old shot a birdie at the second hole before making three in a row from the 5th hole. The lone blemish for the day came right on the turn. Shiv made a double bogey six at the ninth hole, to concede two of the four shots gained on the front nine.
Shiv made amends immediately. He shot his second hat-trick of the day, when he made three straight from the 10th hole.
Two back to back birdies at the 15th and 16th holes sealed the deal for Shiv as he separated himself from the field in emphatic fashion.
When the qualification is confirmed in a few minutes from now, Shiv Kapur will punch his ticket to the fifth major appearance of his career.
Shiv Kapur missed the cut in his first appearance at a major, way back in the 2006 Open Championship. On his second appearance in the tournament in 2013, Kapur got off to a rousing start, firing six birdies in a seven hole stretch. Unfortunately though, the weather got to him, as he settled in T73 by the end of the weekend.
Shiv has been in great form recently. He ended an eleven year run of barren results with a thumping victory at the Yeangder Heritage in May. The man from Delhi has always enjoyed working on links courses and India can now look forward with excitement to the 146th Open Championship.
