Graeme McDowell and Tom McKibbin hoping to earn late invite to The Open

Tom McKibbin is currently 20th in the Race to Dubai

Brain Keogh and Adam McKendry

LIV Golf’s Graeme McDowell and Holywood’s Tom McKibbin are among those entered for Final Qualifying for The Open at Royal Troon next week.

They are among the 288 players set to battle for at least 16 places in the field at Royal Troon at Burnham & Berrow, Dundonald, Royal Cinque Ports and West Lancashire next Tuesday, July 2.

The qualifiers will tee it up at the famous Ayrshire links alongside the likes of former Open champions Rory McIlroy, Padraig Harrington, Darren Clarke and Shane Lowry.

Seamus Power is not entered for Final Qualifying but he can still win a spot in The Open through The Open Qualifying Series at the John Deere Classic (two spots) or the Genesis Scottish Open (three spots).

McKibbin can also make it if he’s among the top-five non-exempt players in the top-20 in the Race to Dubai following next week’s BMW International in Munich.

McKibbin, who is 20th in the Race to Dubai and on course to win one of 10 PGA Tour cards, is eighth in the list of non-exempt players for The Open heading into this week’s Italian Open, where the leading two players not already exempt and who make the cut will earn a place at Royal Troon.

The winner of this week’s European Amateur Championship at The Scandinavian in Denmark can also secure a place in The Open, although if Malone’s Matt McClean is to be that person then he will need to produce a remarkable comeback after a four-over 76 in his first round, which leaves him nine shots back of early leader and Walker Cup rival Preston Summerhays.

Graeme McDowell is seeking to be one of the final qualifiers for The Open at Royal Troon

The American fired a five-under 67 on the New Course to lead by one from four players, including Royal Dublin’s Max Kennedy.

Meanwhile, Northern Irish interest came to an end at the Women’s Amateur at Portmarnock as both Beth Coulter and Annabel Wilson were knocked out in the round-of-64.

Kirkistown Castle star Coulter was bested by Scotland’s Hannah Darling, who defeated her in the 2021 Girls’ Amateur decider and won 3&2 on this occasion, while Castlerock’s Wilson was knocked out by Chinese Taipei’s Hsin Chun Liao as she was beaten 2&1.

Elsewhere, Royal Portrush had two second placed finishers at the Leinster Under-18 Open as Jenson Boyce took silver on the boys’ side, finishing four-under for his three rounds at Royal Tara, one back of Co Louth’s Louis Goodman, with Hannah Lee-McNamara doing likewise on the girls’ side at one-over, two back of Oughterard’s Kate Dillon.

And Mourne’s Noel Crawford will head into the final round of the Leinster Senior Men’s Open at Enniscorthy two shots off the lead after a two-under 70 in his first round.