SANDY Lodge Golf Club in Northwood has been selected by the Royal & Ancient to host one of the regional qualifying rounds for the 2015 Open Championship, being staged this year at St. Andrews.

The 18-hole regional qualifying event – and 12 others around the U.K. - take place on Monday, June 22.

Sandy Lodge is welcoming spectators free of charge to this high-profile event. The course is adjacent to Moor Park underground station and detailed road directions can be found on www.sandylodge.co.uk

The R & A has awarded qualifying venue status to Sandy Lodge for a five-year period and is liaising closely with the club’s management team to provide the rigorous test of golfing ability expected for a major championship.

Sandy Lodge course manager Robert Phillips said: “This is a welcome challenge for us. My team has been working hard, ever since we knew of our selection, to create playing conditions that impress both the R & A and the players.”

The Open Championship is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf.

The world’s leading golfers are exempt from the qualifying process but the players competing at Sandy Lodge will be top-flight amateurs and aspiring professionals.

Sandy Lodge general manager Clive Bailey said: “The club has invested heavily in course development in recent years and this has not gone unnoticed in the top golfing circles. Our exceptional practice facilities have also been a factor in singling us out for important events.”