Warren collapse prompts Open misery (From Haringey Independent)

Warren collapse prompts Open misery

6:39am Monday 16th July 2012 in National Sport © Press Association 2013

To lose any tournament the way he did would have been hard for Marc Warren to take.

But agony was piled on agony given that it was his home Scottish Open - and that his sad finish also cost him a place in The Open, a championship he has been trying to get into for almost a decade.

"I might need a little help to get to sleep tonight," said the 31-year-old after seeing a three-shot lead at Castle Stuart turn into a one-stroke defeat when he double-bogeyed the 15th and bogeyed the next two holes.

"It was kind of surreal how easy it all was up to that point. At the start of the back nine I felt as calm as I ever have on a golf course. I didn't think I would finish as I did, but it's just one of those things that happen in golf I suppose."

Warren, with two European Tour titles and a World Cup victory alongside Colin Montgomerie to his name, first of all three-putted from only 15 feet. Then he drove into a gorse bush and then he played his chip far too hard from just short of the 17th green.

"It's going to be disappointing watching The Open - I had it in my hands," he added.

Asked if devastated was the right word to use for how he felt, Warren - a Rangers fan to make the past week even worse - replied: "Not quite yet, but I'm sure it will. You don't get many chances to win your national Open.

"Everything I'd worked so hard to achieve was right there. I didn't see anything but crossing the finishing line. I wouldn't say it was a mental loss. I've won before and know what it takes to win - and the way I played over the weekend shows that everything I need is there.

"The more times you get in this position you're going to lose, but you're also going to win and I'm looking forward to being there again. I'll definitely finish better. And there are more important things in life than a golf tournament."

Coming off the Inverness course Warren still thought he might have the consolation of an Open Championship spot. Then he learnt that Jeev Milkha Singh, who went on to beat Francesco Molinari in a play-off, was also not exempt for Royal Lytham - and there was only one place on offer at the event.