The accidental golfer from Estonia making Open history

BBC News

7 days ago

Richard Teder only started playing golf by chance after his auntie won some vouchers in a tennis competition. That was 14 years ago. And now, at the age of 20, he's making Open Championship history by becoming the first Estonian to play the sport's oldest major.The amateur qualified in some style too, with a 70-yard chip-in to win a play-off in final qualifying at West Lancashire. "I've never lost in a play-off so I knew I was pretty safe," Teder laughed in the immediate aftermath.The shot - his second on a par-four hole - was an instant hit on social media and Teder himself can't stop watching it."I've watched it a million times," he told BBC Sport. "I watched it today. I just couldn't believe it went in."
Final qualifying was held on 1 July so Teder has had a couple of weeks to get used to the fact he is teeing it up alongside 155 other players at Royal Portrush.Teder will tee off on Thursday at 10:42 BST alongside American Ryggs Johnston and Germany's Matthias Schmid."Being here is unbelievable – it's my favourite major by far, it's just awesome. It's the biggest tournament on the planet," he said."It's such an honour being the first Estonian be here and it will be loads of fun."There are only seven courses and around 4,000 players in Estonia and if his auntie hadn't won a tennis tournament when he was aged six, Teder accepts he would not be here this week."The prize was 10 vouchers," he said. "So it was completely random."By the age of 14 he was playing off scratch but said he only started gaining distance with his shots when he had a growth spurt at the age of 17.And he is undaunted by the prospect of the links golf challenge ahead, having grown up playing junior tournaments in Scotland and competed in three Amateur Championships at the seaside tracks of Royal St George's in Kent, Ballyliffin in Ireland and Hillside on the Southport coast."I'm trying to prove to myself that I belong here, which I believe I do," he said. "It's the six inches between the ears. I'm trying to gain experience and hopefully turn pro after this season."He narrowly missed out via the new global pathway last year but is chasing a spot on the DP World Tour's underling, the HotelPlanner Tour.A good showing this week will help that ambition as he soaks in the atmosphere on the Northern Irish coast.But there is one thing the man who learned English by "watching YouTube videos and stuff I picked up on social media" will be avoiding."I'm not having a kebab this week," he said referring to his celebratory meal after qualifying at West Lancashire."It was the only place that was open, I had two bites and threw it away, it wasn't very good."