Golfer James Busby was today hoping to seal a place in the Open Championship at Turnberry – just 72 hours after thinking his dream was over for another year.

Busby, a professional at The Shropshire Golf Centre in Muxton, Telford, began the second and final round of local qualifying in a tie for 11th place at Kilmarnock following an opening three-under-par 70 yesterday.

The top four at each of the three final qualifying venues at the close of play tonight will line up at next week’s third Major of the year.

But that only tells half the story of a dramatic few days for Busby, who didn’t even expect to be teeing up yesterday.

The 27-year-old, whose parents run the Wharf pub at Shebdon, near Newport, found himself 34th reserve for final qualifying after the first stage at Enville.

But he climbed the reserve list over the weekend, and found his speculative trip north of the border worthwhile.

“All the reserves got split up to the three different courses on Thursday and I was fifth reserve at Kilmarnock,” said the 27-year-old, who has fellow pro Tom Gibbs, also from The Shropshire, caddying for him.

“I was up to fourth on Saturday so decided then I would drive up on Sunday.

“I got up here at 9pm and found out I was first reserve so walked the course. We were out there until 11.20pm in the pitch black!

“We were up at 5.30am yesterday and found out about 7am that someone had dropped out and I was teeing off at 9.30am.

“It’s been pretty unbelievable.”

Lilleshall Hall’s Peter Baker is in with a golden chance of reaching Turnberry.

Baker, a Challenge Tour winner in Switzerland on Sunday, continued his fine form with a two-under-par 69 at Glasgow-Gailes Links.

And he matched that score today after five birdies, two bogeys and one double bogey.

That left him top of the leaderboard after the early finishers on four-under.