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Steve Tiley believes he is in good shape ahead of The Open at Muirfield

Kent golfer Steve Tiley
Kent golfer Steve Tiley

Kent golfer Steve Tiley says he is hoping his good form will give him ‘a sniff of a chance’ at glory in The Open Championship at Muirfield this week.

The 30-year-old European Tour ace has a proud record of qualifying for the Open, having done so in three of the last four years he has entered the qualifying rounds.

He missed the cut by a single shot when playing as an amateur in 2004 but leapt to prominence at St Andrews three years ago when he shot a first-round 66 to sit in the top-three at the end of day one.

He eventually finished 68th but missed the cut by a single shot at Royal Lytham & St Anne’s 12 months ago.

Tiley will tee-off alongside American Josh Teater and Devon amateur Jimmy Mullen at 10.50am on Thursday and 3.51pm on Friday.

He goes into the championship on the back of a 10-under-par, 19th-place finish in the Swiss Challenge in Lucerne, following a 68 and 65 in the first two rounds.

He said: “Everything’s good at the moment and I’m playing nicely. It was nice to qualify again. I only missed by one shot in the only qualifier I haven’t made. That was annoying as it was for Royal St Georges in 2011. That was the one I really wanted to play.”

He added: “I know I can do it, so I think that gives me extra confidence. It’s just a question of trying to play half-decent, and if you do you’ll be in with a sniff. It’s almost like a lottery. And if you don’t play well it’s not the end of the world. If you qualify it’s a bonus – there’s nothing resting on it.

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