Sergio Garcia blames dodgy lunch as he misses out on Open spot
Sergio Garcia claimed that a dodgy lunch scuppered his bid to qualify for the Open Championship.
Garcia had been playing in final qualifying at West Lancs yesterday in a bid to secure his place at Royal Birkdale.
But the Ryder Cup legend, who now plays his golf on the LIV Tour, was left feeling sick due to something he had eaten.
Garcia had been well-placed on four-under par at the midway point thanks to an opening round of 68 in the morning.
But he crashed to a 75 in the afternoon, with his total of one-under par seeing him finish well back from the eight-under mark needed to qualify.
'I had a little bit of food there in the players' lounge and it did not sit well with me,' said the 46-year-old former Masters champion.
Sergio Garcia failed to qualify for The Open after faltering in his second round at West Lancs
'I only ate the lasagne. I thought maybe have a little pasta and stuff, but for some reason it didn't sit well with me.
'I just felt nauseous the whole front nine. In the afternoon, I felt like I was going to vomit pretty much on every hole.
'I thought about stopping after nine holes. But I thought, well, let's play a couple more and see if I get something going, but unfortunately it didn't happen.'
Meanwhile, at Dundonald Links in Ayrshire, local lad Jack McDonald finished top of the pile to secure his place at Birkdale.
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McDonald, who grew up playing at nearby Kilmarnock Barassie and is an honorary member at the Troon venue, posted two rounds of 70 and 69 to finish on five-under par.
As things stand, he will be the only Scot teeing it up at Birkdale along with Bob MacIntyre.
It is the second time in three years that the 33-year-old has qualified at Dundonald, having also clinched a place at Royal Troon for what was a home Open Championship in 2024.
'I've barely played,' said the former University of Stirling student. 'I've played PGA events and stuff, but I've been working at the same time.
'I always liked this golf course and I was able to hit the shots that I needed to hit. I got in via a play-off a couple of years ago. This was a bit more stress-free being five-under coming down the last. Happy days.
'I'm going on holiday. I always go on holiday about this time, so I'll come back, and then I'll need to try and prepare. I'm going to Rome this time, I think it was Paris the last time [in 2024].
'Then the flight got cancelled and I had to get the train up the road, I was like: "What am I doing?! But no, no, it'll be good. I'm going there on Thursday, so for a few days. Looking forward to it.'
The Spaniard slipped out of contention after lunchtime where he felt sick afterwards
With five places up for grabs at each venue, it was England's Matthew Baldwin who also qualified at Dundonald after finishing one shot back from McDonald on four-under.
Teeing it up in an Open on his home course will be a special moment, with Baldwin explaining: 'It will mean everything to me.
'For me, that's the ultimate. I am a Southport lad through and through. I have been a member at Birkdale since I was 17 years old.
'In previous years, I played an Open at Lytham and an Open at Hoylake. So Birkdale will complete the set.
'I'm 40 years old. I knew that this realistically was my last chance to play an Open at Birkdale.
'I only live like two miles from Birkdale. People were asking me if I was going to rent out my house. I certainly won't be doing that now!'
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Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
