By Mathieu Wood
Almost 5,000 miles separate Troon in the west of Scotland from Truckee in California. Up until late on Sunday, Richard Mansell was preparing for being in the latter this week. But he’s over the moon to be where the eyes of the golf world are focused on – The 152nd Open.
The fact he is competing in Ayrshire at the final Major Championship of the year is testament to his ability.
With three spots on offer into the Open Championship to the top three finishers not already exempt at the Genesis Scottish Open, Mansell’s hopes of earning a last-minute invite looked bleak when he started the final round at four under and 13 shots adrift of the lead held by Ludvig Åberg.
In a field full of the best players in the game, of which several were also chasing Open qualification, the Englishman seemingly needed a miracle round. Otherwise, a flight stateside to play in the Barracuda Championship awaited.
But where there is will, there is a way. A closing nine-under-par 61 to set the new course record at The Renaissance Club saw the 29-year-old finish at 13 under and claim a prized berth in the 157-player field this week. With it, plans for the week quickly took a new direction.
“It was a crazy day,” says Mansell.
“I had a flight booked to California from Heathrow on the Monday morning. I’d also organised a caddie in America who was going to work with me for the week.
“I was lying in maybe 55th (going into the final round at the Scottish Open), coming to Troon just wasn’t on the agenda.
“My caddie (Jonathan Bell) actually got on the flight out to America before I’d finished my round and there I go and shoot a 61! Luckily, he’s managed to pick up a bag this week with Max Kieffer.
“That’s fortunate – I was glad it wasn’t a waste of a week for him.”
As if creating a chance to compete to win the Claret Jug wasn’t enough, the realisation of avoiding the long-haul flight to play as one of 50-odd DP World Tour members at the Barracuda Championship eased what could have been a tiresome travel schedule.
“My good friend [and fellow DP World Tour member] Connor Syme gets married next Tuesday in Edinburgh. I was hoping before the Scottish Open it could be Scotland-Scotland-Scotland, not Scotland-California-Scotland.
“While it would have been nightmare travel, I was going to do everything to go [to the wedding]. But I also knew that I needed to play the event with a big break to come on the DP World Tour schedule.
“To get another chance to compete in an Open Championship is special.”
Mansell, who came through Final Qualifying at Walton Heath to secure a place at last month's U.S. Open, has twice previously teed it up at his home Major, making the cut in 2021 and 2022.
His superb final-round performance in East Lothian should inject a well of belief for the rest of the season. His third top ten finish of the DP World Tour campaign was his best result since the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters in February.
As such, Mansell goes into this week’s Open with a feeling of nothing to lose but everything to gain.
“I kind of had that on Sunday, to be honest,” he says.
“I had a really good chat with members of my team the night before, and I've just been frustrated with the game. A lot of golfers go through it. I've not been playing bad, but I've just not been allowing myself to kind of go well. A slight switch in mentality on Sunday kind of just helped me enjoy it a lot and accept that strange things can happen and to let it happen.
“I've been working really hard and not getting a lot back from the game recently, but we're not supposed to. That's the thing.
"So yeah, I feel comfortable in majors. I like being in this environment, around the best players in the world. I feel like I am one of them.
"So it was nice to kind of shoot a low score in a big event, work my way up and have a good finish in a big week when it meant something as well and kind of show that I've got a bit about me and that I can dig deep when I need to.
"I know my game is in decent shape and there's no reason why I can't go and have a great week.”
I like being in this environment, around the best players in the world. I feel like I am one of them.
While this is the tenth occasion Royal Troon is hosting golf’s oldest Major, Mansell is among those experiencing it for the first time competitively.
“I played 18 holes yesterday and it was one of my most favourite practice rounds I’ve had.
“The front nine offers chances. I just feel like the bunkering is absolutely perfect on this golf course.
“There are a few holes where you can choose to take it on and if you get away with it you could see six, seven, eight under through nine holes. But the back nine is as tough as it gets with that prevailing wind.
“There are some really strong holes and you better find the middle of the bat because you need to control your golf ball.
“It is a really traditional links with subtle breaks and slopes on the greens. It’s a very fair and proper test. Hopefully we can get some wind because that is what an Open Championship needs.”
