Latest news with #RichardTeder
BBC News
5 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
The accidental golfer from Estonia making Open history
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 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 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 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 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 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."
Al Arabiya
5 days ago
- Climate
- Al Arabiya
Estonia has a five-month season and a 20-year-old amateur at the British Open
No one could call Estonia an ideal breeding ground for golfers. The Baltic nation of 1.3 million people has just seven courses and as few as 3,500 registered golfers. Because of its climate, the golf season can last barely five months. Rising above these obstacles is Richard Teder. That this thin-as-a-rake 20-year-old amateur with a mullet, spectacles, and self-taught English from YouTube is playing at the British Open as the first Estonian to ever compete at a major golf championship is one of the most uplifting stories of this week at Royal Portrush. And he is experiencing pinch-me moments wherever he turns. 'Just being in the clubhouse and stuff, seeing Brooks Koepka and all these big, big names,' Teder says. 'It's so cool.' Teder's improbable path to the Open Championship began at the age of 6 when his aunt won a tennis tournament, earning a somewhat random prize: 10 golf passes. No one in the Teder family was into golf, so young Richard, who was just getting into sports at that point, was invited along. Golf soon overtook soccer as his chosen pursuit, and his mother decided to go all-in on Richard, taking him to Spain for months-long stretches during winters after he turned 12. 'For us in Estonia, the golf season starts in May,' he explained at the back of the ninth green during a practice round at Portrush. 'Obviously, there are some people who just play golf once the snow has disappeared. But that's not me.' It has required more than pure talent for Teder to make it to the Open Championship, though. He needed resilience, too, during 36-hole final qualifying at West Lancashire in early July after making a double-bogey at the last hole to drop into a four-man sudden-death playoff. At the third playoff hole, Teder holed out for eagle from 50 yards to secure a spot at Portrush. He clasped his face with his hands and was soon being carried horizontally on the shoulders of his jubilant caddie. 'It's the biggest tournament in the world – there's nothing bigger than this – so it's absolutely insane,' said Teder, who lives in Estonia's capital city, Tallinn. 'Everyone who plays golf back home knows what I've done and is very proud.' Estonia, which neighbors Russia and regained independence in 1991 after nearly 50 years of Soviet rule, has few well-known sports stars. Erki Nool won the decathlon gold medal at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. Anett Kontaveit got to No. 2 in the world ranking in women's tennis before being forced to retire in 2023. Ragnar Klavan, a soccer player, was at English giant Liverpool from 2016-18. Indeed, coming first at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2001 might be the country's most widely recognized victory. Now it's Teder's turn to take the stage, and it's a big moment for Estonia. 'He is the first one to ever play in a major, so it's hard to compare to anything else,' said Kristo Raudam, general secretary of the Estonian Golf Association. 'I think a lot of people who are interested in sports but haven't been interested in golf before will catch up with the news and maybe try to watch it.' If you do catch coverage of Teder, check out his drive. He says he'll be hitting it far, boasting of a carry of up to 300 meters (328 yards) – a distance which would put him up there with the longest on the PGA Tour. Otherwise, he'll just be having the time of his young life. 'I don't really watch golf, never really been to a golf tournament. So it's pretty cool to be here,' Teder said. 'It doesn't really feel real. But I know I belong here.'
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Estonia has 7 golf courses, a 5-month season and a 20-year-old amateur at the British Open
Richard Teder of Estonia putts on the 1st green during a practice round for the British Open golf championship at the Royal Portrush Golf Club, Northern Ireland, Tuesday, July 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison) Richard Teder of Estonia walks along the 1st fairway during a practice round for the British Open golf championship at the Royal Portrush Golf Club, Northern Ireland, Tuesday, July 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison) Richard Teder of Estonia tees off the 1st during a practice round for the British Open golf championship at the Royal Portrush Golf Club, Northern Ireland, Tuesday, July 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison) Richard Teder of Estonia plays a shot rom the 1st fairway during a practice round for the British Open golf championship at the Royal Portrush Golf Club, Northern Ireland, Tuesday, July 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison) Richard Teder of Estonia plays a shot rom the 1st fairway during a practice round for the British Open golf championship at the Royal Portrush Golf Club, Northern Ireland, Tuesday, July 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison) Richard Teder of Estonia putts on the 1st green during a practice round for the British Open golf championship at the Royal Portrush Golf Club, Northern Ireland, Tuesday, July 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison) Richard Teder of Estonia walks along the 1st fairway during a practice round for the British Open golf championship at the Royal Portrush Golf Club, Northern Ireland, Tuesday, July 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison) Richard Teder of Estonia tees off the 1st during a practice round for the British Open golf championship at the Royal Portrush Golf Club, Northern Ireland, Tuesday, July 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison) Richard Teder of Estonia plays a shot rom the 1st fairway during a practice round for the British Open golf championship at the Royal Portrush Golf Club, Northern Ireland, Tuesday, July 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison) PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland (AP) — No one could call Estonia an ideal breeding ground for golfers. The Baltic nation of 1.3 million people has just seven courses and as few as 3,500 registered golfers. Because of its climate, the golf season can last barely five months. Advertisement Rising above these obstacles is Richard Teder. That this thin-as-a-rake, 20-year-old amateur with a mullet, spectacles and self-taught English from YouTube is playing at the British Open as the first Estonian to ever compete at a major golf championship is one of the most uplifting stories of this week at Royal Portrush. And he is experiencing pinch-me moments wherever he turns. 'Just being in the clubhouse and stuff, seeing Brooks Koepka and all these big, big names,' Teder says. 'It's so cool.' Teder's improbable path to the Open Championship began at the age of 6 when his aunt won a tennis tournament, earning a somewhat random prize: 10 golf passes. Advertisement No one in the Teder family was into golf so young Richard, who was just getting into sports at that point, was invited along. Golf soon overtook soccer as his chosen pursuit and his mother decided to go all-in on Richard, taking him to Spain for months-long stretches during winters after he turned 12. 'For us in Estonia, the golf season starts in May,' he explained at the back of the ninth green during a practice round at Portrush. 'Obviously there are some people who just play golf once the snow has disappeared. But that's not me.' It has required more than pure talent for Teder to make it to the Open Championship, though. Advertisement He needed resilience, too, during 36-hole final qualifying at West Lancashire in early July after making a double-bogey at the last hole to drop into a four-man sudden-death playoff. At the third playoff hole, Teder holed out for eagle from 50 yards to secure a spot at Portrush. He clasped his face with his hands and was soon being carried horizontally on the shoulders of his jubilant caddie. 'It's the biggest tournament in the world — there's nothing bigger than this — so it's absolutely insane,' said Teder, who lives in Estonia's capital city, Tallinn. 'Everyone who plays golf back home knows what I've done and is very proud.' Estonia, which neighbors Russia and regained independence in 1991 after nearly 50 years of Soviet rule, has few well-known sports stars. Advertisement Erki Nool won the decathlon gold medal at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. Anett Kontaveit got to No. 2 in the world ranking in women's tennis before being forced to retire in 2023. Ragnar Klavan, a soccer player, was at English giant Liverpool from 2016-18. Indeed, coming first at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2001 might be the country's most widely recognized victory. Now it's Teder's turn to take the stage and it's a big moment for Estonia. 'He is the first one to ever play in a major, so it's hard to compare to anything else,' said Kristo Raudam, general secretary of the Estonian Golf Association. Advertisement 'I think a lot of people who are interested in sports but haven't been interested in golf before will catch up with the news and maybe try to watch it.' If you do catch coverage of Teder, check out his drive. He says he'll be 'hitting it far,' boasting of a carry of up to 300 meters (328 yards) — a distance which would put him up there with the longest on the PGA Tour. Otherwise, he'll just be having the time of his young life. 'I don't really watch golf, never really been to a golf tournament. So it's pretty cool to be here,' Teder said. 'It doesn't really feel real. But I know I belong here.' ___ AP golf:
Associated Press
5 days ago
- Sport
- Associated Press
Estonia has 7 golf courses, a 5-month season and a 20-year-old amateur at the British Open
PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland (AP) — No one could call Estonia an ideal breeding ground for golfers. The Baltic nation of 1.3 million people has just seven courses and as few as 3,500 registered golfers. Because of its climate, the golf season can last barely five months. Rising above these obstacles is Richard Teder. That this thin-as-a-rake, 20-year-old amateur with a mullet, spectacles and self-taught English from YouTube is playing at the British Open as the first Estonian to ever compete at a major golf championship is one of the most uplifting stories of this week at Royal Portrush. And he is experiencing pinch-me moments wherever he turns. 'Just being in the clubhouse and stuff, seeing Brooks Koepka and all these big, big names,' Teder says. 'It's so cool.' Teder's improbable path to the Open Championship began at the age of 6 when his aunt won a tennis tournament, earning a somewhat random prize: 10 golf passes. No one in the Teder family was into golf so young Richard, who was just getting into sports at that point, was invited along. Golf soon overtook soccer as his chosen pursuit and his mother decided to go all-in on Richard, taking him to Spain for months-long stretches during winters after he turned 12. 'For us in Estonia, the golf season starts in May,' he explained at the back of the ninth green during a practice round at Portrush. 'Obviously there are some people who just play golf once the snow has disappeared. But that's not me.' It has required more than pure talent for Teder to make it to the Open Championship, though. He needed resilience, too, during 36-hole final qualifying at West Lancashire in early July after making a double-bogey at the last hole to drop into a four-man sudden-death playoff. At the third playoff hole, Teder holed out for eagle from 50 yards to secure a spot at Portrush. He clasped his face with his hands and was soon being carried horizontally on the shoulders of his jubilant caddie. 'It's the biggest tournament in the world — there's nothing bigger than this — so it's absolutely insane,' said Teder, who lives in Estonia's capital city, Tallinn. 'Everyone who plays golf back home knows what I've done and is very proud.' Estonia, which neighbors Russia and regained independence in 1991 after nearly 50 years of Soviet rule, has few well-known sports stars. Erki Nool won the decathlon gold medal at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. Anett Kontaveit got to No. 2 in the world ranking in women's tennis before being forced to retire in 2023. Ragnar Klavan, a soccer player, was at English giant Liverpool from 2016-18. Indeed, coming first at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2001 might be the country's most widely recognized victory. Now it's Teder's turn to take the stage and it's a big moment for Estonia. 'He is the first one to ever play in a major, so it's hard to compare to anything else,' said Kristo Raudam, general secretary of the Estonian Golf Association. 'I think a lot of people who are interested in sports but haven't been interested in golf before will catch up with the news and maybe try to watch it.' If you do catch coverage of Teder, check out his drive. He says he'll be 'hitting it far,' boasting of a carry of up to 300 meters (328 yards) — a distance which would put him up there with the longest on the PGA Tour. Otherwise, he'll just be having the time of his young life. 'I don't really watch golf, never really been to a golf tournament. So it's pretty cool to be here,' Teder said. 'It doesn't really feel real. But I know I belong here.' ___ AP golf:
Forbes
5 days ago
- Sport
- Forbes
2025 Open Championship: Amateurs To Watch
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - JULY 01: Richard Teder of Estonia poses with a pin flag after qualifying for ... More the Open during Final Qualifying for the Open at The West Lancashire Golf Club on July 01, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Richard Martin-Roberts/R&A/R&A via Getty Images) UNC Charlotte had a strong showing, sending two amateur players through qualifying to the Open Championship. Englishman Frazer Jones, a UNC Charlotte player, qualified after shooting 73–70 at Burnham & Berrow. Jones birdied four holes on his final nine to secure a spot. Fellow Englishman and UNC Charlotte standout Sebastian Cave also qualified, carding rounds of 67–72 at Royal Cinque Ports. Estonian player Richard Teder had perhaps the most dramatic qualification story. Teder had his spot nearly secured going into the final hole but double-bogeyed after pulling his drive into the native area. His misstep on the 18th put him into a 4-for-2 playoff, which quickly became a 3-for-1. Teder found the fairway with his drive and then holed out for eagle from 80 yards to clinch his spot at The Open. He is the first Estonian ever to qualify for the championship. DONEGAL, IRELAND - JUNE 19: (EDITORS NOTE: Image was altered with digital filters.) Connor Graham of ... More Scotland tees off the 13th hole during day three of The Amateur Championship at Ballyliffin Golf Club on June 19, 2024 in Donegal, Ireland. (Photo by Oisin Keniry/R&A/R&A via Getty Images) At Dundonald Links, world No. 47 amateur Connor Graham birdied the first playoff hole to earn his place. The Texas Tech standout won the British Amateur in both 2024 and 2025 and finished 37th at the 2025 European Amateur. His 2025 British Amateur win came at Open Championship rota course Royal St. George's. Graham appears to be the strongest amateur contender in the field. With only four amateur players in this year's Open Championship, their odds of winning appear slim. However, Graham, Cave, and Jones all have notable experience and success on links courses, while Teder enters as a true Cinderella story and the first-ever Estonian to play in The Open.
