Faxon Makes Long Trip for Longshot

Brad Faxon loves the British Open too much to stay away, even with little chance of playing.

Faxon was the sixth alternate, reason enough for him to travel across the Atlantic Ocean on Sunday night to be around Royal Liverpool in case half a dozen guys decide to drop out.

“If I didn’t come over and my number got called, I’d kill myself,” Faxon said Monday evening while ordering pints at a pub. “I wouldn’t kill myself, but I’d be pretty upset.”

Then he paused to assess the situation before saying with only a tinge of desperation, “Somebody has got to withdraw.”

A year ago, Faxon endeared himself to the British gallery by coming to Scotland to take his chances in a local qualifier the weekend before the British Open. He narrowly earned one of three spots from a 96-man field.

He didn’t get that chance this year because the Royal & Ancient moved up local qualifying by one week, making it impractical.

Faxon also didn’t get a chance in the U.S. qualifier because it was canceled by rain that flooded Congressional in Maryland. The R&A; awarded the spots off the world ranking, and Faxon was too far down the list.

Now, his only chance is for six players to withdraw, which is unlikely.

What if he has to turn around and go home Thursday?

“You know, we just walked a mile for dinner, walked another mile to a pub, I haven’t slept, and we’re just having a blast,” he said.

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Warren Bladon has all the traits of a longshot qualifier.

He makes about $10 an hour framing pictures in Coventry, and the only golf he plays is Wednesday and Saturday, a regular game he keeps with his friends at Forest of Arden. He moonlights as a plumber’s assistant. Money is so scarce that his girlfriend paid the $200 entry fee for the Open, asking only that he practice a little harder.

Bladon, 40, did well enough to make it through regional qualifying, then earned one of three spots in a local qualifier last week.

“I was a little surprised,” he said.

But there is more to him than a blue-collar worker who can play.

Bladon has played in the Masters, even getting in nine holes of a practice round with Jack Nicklaus, then played in the Memorial. He competed against Tiger Woods for the silver medal that goes to the low amateur at the Open, losing out in 1996 when Woods shot a 66 in the second round to make the cut at Royal Lytham & St. Annes.

Bladon is known to most European players as having won the British Amateur at Turnberry in 1996, but his professional career didn’t pan out.

“I traveled the world playing golf, and I found it difficult to get a sponsor,” Bladon said. “To get a full sponsorship in your 30s is difficult when there’s all these young players coming up behind you.”

Bladon ran a pub for a while, had a marriage end in divorce, and now is quite happy framing pictures and playing golf.

This is quite a change.

“I just want to do as well as I can,” he said. “I want to come off the course knowing that I haven’t been overcome by it, control myself and hit the right shots at the right time. And if I do that, then I’ll be happy.”

Bladon earned about $1,600 from final qualifying, and is guaranteed $3,800 for competing in the British Open.