DP World Tour’s Matthew Southgate fights back tears after qualifying for The Open

Englishman Matthew Southgate has been involved with the British Open for decades.

It was no surprise to see him express such feelings after qualifying for this year’s Royal Troon Open, his sixth appearance in golf’s oldest major tournament. Southgate 6 under par 136 in 36 holes He won the South East England Qualifier at Royal Sink Port by three strokes and took home medallist honours.

“Sorry,” Southgate said. Holding back tears.

“It reminds me of my dad. The Open is awesome.”

His father Ian, who sadly passed away in late 2020, loved The Open just as much as his son. He took a liking to American Tom Watson in the 1970s when Watson was beginning to seriously conquer links-style golf. Southgate was also a member at Carnoustie, where Watson won his first British Open in 1975. Ian Southgate knew everyone on the course for many years, which is why 10-year-old Matthew watched Jan van de Wedre’s infamous 1999 collapse from one of golf’s most famous venues.

“Marshall called me and a friend over and we sat down on Ballyburn Bridge,” Southgate said. Global Golf Post At last year’s Royal Open Liverpool.

“I was just dangling my feet over the water and watching it all happen.”

My memories of the British Open Championship from my youth don’t end there.

Ten years later, with Watson leading after 54 holes at the British Open, father and son Southgate piled into their car on a Saturday night and drove to Turnberry, not wanting to miss their favorite player making history.

Sadly, Watson fell just short to Stewart Cink in the play-offs, but Southgate has made plenty of memories at the Open since then.

His first British Open appearance was at Royal Liverpool in 2014, where he missed the cut. But two years later, he tied for 12th at Royal Troon. Then he tied for sixth at Royal Birkdale, where Jordan Spieth won the Claret Jug. He earned an invitation to the 2018 British Open at Carnoustie, where he finished 67th. At the very least, he missed the cut.

But that was the last Open his father would see him play.

Photo by Tom Dulat/R&A via Getty Images

Southgate missed the 2019 British Open at Royal Portrush and a year later the R&A cancelled the major event due to the pandemic. He also sat out 2021 and 2022 but was part of the British Open radio commentary team for the 150th British Open, offering his views on the unfolding events on the Old Course.

Hilariously, after qualifying this year, he joked about his broadcasting experience.

“That’s why I tried so hard the last five holes. I didn’t want to try again,” Southgate said, drawing much laughter on the British Open radio broadcast.

“No, I can’t wait to meet you all. Troon is a magical golf course.”

Southgate also played at the British Open held at Royal Liverpool last year and performed well, finishing in a tie for 23rd place.

But the Englishman hasn’t been at his best throughout 2024. His best result was a tie for 18th at the ISPS Handa Championship in Japan in April, and he hasn’t made the cut on the DP World Tour since.

“We’ve had some really tough last few months but we played really well today,” Southgate said.

“It’s been a string of disasters, so to finally get things going means a lot.”

Now he’s playing his second British Open at Royal Troon, the same course where Watson won his fourth Claret Jug in 1982. So maybe Southgate can keep playing the same way he did in qualifying and shock the world and win the British Open as the ultimate longshot, like Todd Hamilton and Ben Curtis did earlier this century.

No matter what happens, his father will look down on his son and smile with great pride, knowing how much his son has already accomplished.

Jack Mirko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation Playing Through. Follow For more golf articles, follow us on Twitter Jack Mirko In the same way.