Dubai golfer Ewen Ferguson secures spot in the Open Championship

Dubai-based Ewen Ferguson’s decision to skip Open Qualifying paid off after the Scotsman secured his spot into the final Major Championship of the season with victory at the BMW International Open.

The 28-year-old entered the final day at Golfclub München Eichenried in a share of the lead with England's Jordan Smith and the duo were engaged in an thrilling battle throughout an entertaining Sunday in Germany.

A two-shot swing on the 14th proved the turning point, however, and Ferguson held his nerve down the stretch to get to 18 under and was in tears as a closing par ensured he lifted the trophy.

Ferguson produced a brilliant display of frontrunning on a wet final day in Munich, with a trio of birdies and a single dropped shot on the front nine giving him a slender advantage over Smith as they made the turn.

The 2021 European Challenge Tour graduate did not blink down the stretch, with back-to-back birdies at the 13th and 14th opening a three-stroke lead over Smith, who dropped a shot at the 14th, giving Ferguson the luxury of being able to par his way home as he joined countrymen Sandy Lyle and Colin Montgomerie as Scottish winners of the BMW International Open.

His third DP World Tour victory came just a week after he made the decision to withdraw from Open Qualifying.

"I actually made a big decision this week,” he said.

“I played really well the last two weeks at KLM and Italian Open and I was supposed to be flying on Sunday night to play in Open qualifying on Tuesday in Scotland.

"But after I'd done on Sunday I was like, 'you know what? I think I'm playing well, maybe I can just play in myself'.

"I didn't want to tire myself out. I felt like I could maybe win this week or maybe finish in the top ten in Scotland and get my own spot that way with just good golf.

"So we decided to pull out of Open qualifying and it's obviously a really good decision - it kept me fresh and I'm here with the trophy.

“The Open Championship is a tournament that everyone wants to play in and I feel like I can do well there.”

With the Open Championship just two weeks away, Ferguson is set to link up with another Dubai resident for a practice round ahead of golf’s original championship at Royal Troon.

“I actually got a text from Tommy Fleetwood saying well done so I said to him, let's get a practice round in so I'm looking forward to that,” added Ferguson.

Jesper Svensson, Laurie Canter, Nacho Elvira and Matteo Manassero also booked their places at The Open as part of the top five players on the Race to Dubai not already exempt, while Dubai-based Guido Migliozzi confirmed his status as the winner of the European Swing.