Griggs aiming for British Senior Open
VICTORY in the Investec Trophy has given Daniel Griggs a big confidence boost ahead of his attempt to qualify for the British Senior Open next month.
The 53-year-old Island player won the annual 72-holer from Guernsey teammate Jamie Blondel on countback on Sunday and revealed that he wanted to use the competition as a springboard for the upcoming qualifier.
‘I was putting a lot of pressure on myself to give every shot 100% concentration, so instead of being my normal self I was in a world of my own for four days,’ Griggs said.
‘The qualifying list is full of golfers who a lot of us have heard of and, of course, if you make it through you could be alongside the likes of Phil Mickelson, Fred Couples, Ian Woosnam, Bernard Langer – major winners and Ryder Cup players – so if you are looking to do it, you have got to be professional about things.
‘If you are an amateur over 50 with a handicap of 0.4 or better, you can enter and I thought it would be lovely to have the opportunity to tee up in the same tournament as these big names.
‘I am a realist. I know I am capable of getting a really good score, but equally I’m capable of shooting 80, so I’m going there with an open mind.
‘But even if I do shoot 80, on my journey back I am not going to be thinking it was because I didn’t prepare properly as I have devoted a month to that one round.’
Griggs is waiting to hear whether he will be in the qualifying event at Burhill or Hindhead on Monday 19 July, with the Senior Open taking place at Sunningdale from 22-25 July.
‘I am going there as a Guernsey player and I will be proudly wearing my Island kit in the qualifier.’
Investec & UV Trophies report to follow
