Glasgow-born Alan McLean secures Senior Open spot at Gleneagles

Glasgow-born Alan McLean has qualified for this week’s Senior Open Presented by Rolex at Gleneagles.

McLean, who is based in Canada, finished second behind American Mark Brown at Glenbervie in one of four 18-hole qualifiers for the over-50s major, which is being played at the Perthshire venue for the first time.

Helped by five birdies, McLean carded a four-under-par 67, finishing three behind Brown, who birdied five of the last seven holes.

Welshman Garry Houston won by two shots at Ladybank with a four-under-par 67, with Irishman

Sean Fitzgerald his closest challenger.

Rob Maxfield, the PGA chief executive, also passed that test along with two other amateurs, Rusty Strawn and James Crompton, as they all carded 70s.

After a five-man play-off there for three spots, English duo Jason Ripley and Steven Green made it through along with American Francis Quinn.

In two separate events at Blairgowrie American duo Clifford Kresge and Tom Gillis shared top spot over Rosemount with six-under 67s while Australian Glenn Joyner won by three shots on Lansdowne with a seven-under 65.

South African David Frost, a ten-time PGA Tour winner, joined Joyner in coming through that shoot-out with a 70.

Garry Harvey, who engraved Cameron Smith’s name on the Claret Jug on Sunday as the new Open champion, missed out at Ladybank with an 80.

Playing at the same venue, Frenchman Jean Van de Velde, who painfully lost out to Paul Lawrie in the 1999 Open at Carnoustie, also came up short with a 74, as dad Gary Nicklaus, one Jack’s son, on 75.

At Glenbervie, former Wales and Manchester United defender Clayton Blackmore fell short on 80.