The Englishman turns 44 in a fortnight but since coming fourth on debut as an amateur in 1998 he has only once bettered that finish, as a runner-up six years ago.
He had to qualify to make it into this year's event and admits that has made him appreciate his appearance in Ayrshire this week.
But now he is here, he is determined not to allow the opportunity to go to waste as he knows his chances of adding to his solitary major at the 2013 US Open are diminishing.
"It's a little bit of a ticking clock. It's obvious, isn't it? (I'm) 44 soon and history would suggest (winning is less likely) England's Justin Rose but I think the Open offers you that opportunity maybe more than some of the other majors," he said.
This story is from the July 19, 2024 edition of The Herald.
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This story is from the July 19, 2024 edition of The Herald.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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