THREE local golfers will be looking to qualify for the Senior Open in Porthcawl later this month and get the chance to test themselves against some of the legends of the game.

Trevor Foster from Pleasington Golf Club, Mark Harling from Marsden Park in Nelson and Clitheroe GC’s Paul Dwyer will all be taking part in qualifying events on Monday.

Success for the trio could see them pit their wits against the likes of Colin Montgomerie, Bernhard Langer and defending champion Darren Clarke.

Foster, along with Dwyer, will be hoping to qualify at Ashburnham Golf Club, Burry Port. He is no stranger to the Senior Open having qualified for three of the last four but he is hoping to return to Royal Porthcawl were he holds the course record.

“Having qualified for the Open in 1988 I got a bit of a taster for what it’s like to compete alongside the world’s best players,” said Foster who won a silver medal at Sunningdale in 2021 and bronze at Gleneagles a year later.

“Since then I’ve always relished the opportunity to rub shoulders with legends of the game on the Senior Tour so I’m really looking forward to this year’s qualifying event at Ashburnham Golf Club.

“Preparation has gone well and I’m feeling confident that I can qualify for the main event in Porthcawl where I hold the course record.”

Harling, who is the PGA Professional at Marsden Park, will be looking to qualify at Pyle and Kenfig Golf Club

“I’m very excited about competing in the qualifying event,” he said. “In 2019, I missed out on qualification by one shot but this year I’m feeling confident and think I have a good chance of qualifying for the main event in Porthcawl.

“But in these one day events anything can happen so I’ll have to be at the top of my game in order to stand a chance against a highly competitive field.”

The Senior Open will run from July 27-30.

Defending champion Clarke said: “The Senior Open provides a fantastic opportunity for amateur golfers to potentially play alongside some of the world’s best senior professional players.

“The Senior Open is a very special tournament to me and I’d like to wish all of the players the very best of luck with qualifying.”