British Open Qualifying:Jonathan Caldwell, David Higgins and Peter O'Keeffe have given themselves the opportunity of qualifying for next week's British Open at Turnberry, while veteran Ronan Rafferty is attempting to roll back the years at the R&A's final qualifying stage.

A total of 288 players teed it up across three Ayrshire venues in the hope of booking their place at next week’s 138th British Open. However, with only 12 spots, four from each venue, the odds of making the grade are stacked against the majority. In effect, only the top four per cent will qualify from the 36-hole qualifiers.

Caldwell set off at Kilmarnock (Barassie) where he shot a respectable three-under par 70 to be tied 11th. The Clandeboye golfer opened with six straight pars before birdies came at the seventh and ninth to turn in two-under 34.

The back nine was more erratic as he dropped shots at the 11th, 14th and 15th, but managed birdies at the 12th and 13th plus enjoyed an eagle three at the 16th.

Caldwell is still some way off the lead set by Austria’s Marcus Brier, who shot a flawless nine-under 64 to lead by two from Scotland’s Lloyd Saltman (66).

The Island’s David Rawluk shot 77 while amateurs, Simon Ward (Co Louth) and Andrew Hogan (Newlands) carded 74 and 81 respectively at the same venue.

Higgins was competing over the nearby Glasgow Gailes and opened with a one-under 70 to be tied 10th at the halfway stage. The Waterville pro managed five birdies but two bogeys, including one at the 18th, plus a double-bogey five at the short 12th has made his task all the more difficult tomorrow.

Rafferty, former Ryder Cup player and 1989 European number one, shot 72 to be tied 26th, leaving the 45-year-old with an outside chance of booking his ticket to Turnberry. Castlecomer’s Brendan McDermott matched Rafferty’s score.

Limerick amateur and Irish Close champion Pat Murray shot 75, while Royal County Down’s Jerry Scullion, winner of the Irish Regional Qualifying at Royal Dublin last week, could only manage a 79, the same score as Portmarnock amateur James Fox.

Saltman’s brother Elliot leads at Glasgow Gailes after his first round of four-under 67.

At Western Gailes Douglas professional O'Keeffe is very well-placed in a tie for third after his round of one-under 70 left him just two off the lead held by Banchory amateur James Byrne (68). Daniel Sugrue carded a six-over 77 at Western.

Pádraig Harrington, Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell, Darren Clarke, Paul McGinley and Damien McGrane have already qualified for the third major of the season.

Irish Scores:

Glasgow Gailes (Par 71)
70 David Higgins
72 Ronan Rafferty, Brendan McDermott
75 Pat Murray*
79 Jerry Scullion, James Fox*

Western Gailes (Par 71)
70 Peter O'Keeffe
77 Daniel Sugrue

Kilmarnock (Barassie) (Par 73)
70 Jonathan Caldwell
74 Simon Ward *
77 David Rawluk
81 Andrew Hogan*

(* denotes amateur)