Lee Westwood on target for Open as Ryder Cup heroes battle for Portrush spot
Lee Westwood has made a strong start to his bid to book a ticket to The Open.
Ryder Cup mate Graeme McDowell has also put himself in line for a dream date back on home soil at Royal Portrush.
But, although LIV Golf colleague Ian Poulter staged a fightback burst to keep alive his hopes of making it to the 153rd Championship, his son Luke is in even better shape at the halfway mark as the scrap across the UK reaches fever pitch.
Westwood is in contention at his qualifying run at Dundonald with an eagle at the third of his first round kickstarting the bid to return to the Championship for the first time in three years.
The 52-year-old, who came agonisingly close to winning just down the Ayrshire coastline at Turnberry in 2009 and also came second the following year at St Andrews, is the headline act on the Ayrshire track and was joint-leader at one stage of the morning.
A seven at the par-five 14th set him back, but Westwood finished with a two-under par round of 70, three behind leader Jordan Sunborg and firmly in the mix to make it.
McDowell and Poulter headed to Kent and the Royal Cinque Ports qualifier with the Ryder Cup hero's boy also trying to make it through at the venue next door to Royal St George's.
The Northern Irish star joined Westwood in making a smart start, but stuttered on a back nine of 38 to finish at two-under par and inside the Top with 18 holes to go.
Poulter Snr, worked the opposite way having looked in big trouble in the morning with a slow start before reeling-off a strong back nine to finish at level and battle into the shake-up.
Son Luke finished five shots better than his dad as the starters near Royal St George's chase down leader David Puig, with the Spanish LIV Golf star beginning powerfully in the battle to join countryman such as Jon Rahm and Sergio Garcia at Portrush.
In total, 20 places at The 153rd Championship are available with five each coming from Burnham & Berrow, Dundonald, Royal Cinque Ports and West Lancashire.
At Burnham and Berrow, Scotsman Craig Sutherland burst to the top of the halfway standings having carded back-to-back birdies to close with an opening six-under par effort of 65.
Finland's Oliver Lindell headed the way at West Lancashire with a 67 putting him into the right spot to make it to Northern Ireland.
Players will return in the afternoon at all four venues looking to make the final push for Portrush and seal thie places at The Open.
McDowell, of course, is desperate to be amongst those who secure places as he looks to join his countrymen 2019 Portrush winner Shane Lowry and Grand Slam king Rory McIlroy in the field.
He said: 'It would be amazing. With everything that Rory's done this year, with Shane being the defending champion, to go back to Portrush, it's going to be a special week. It goes without saying that I'd love to be a part of it.'
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