Robert Damron is unlikely to play in the British Open, a decision that will not sit well with Greg Chalmers.
Damron earned a late exemption into next week's Open at St Andrews due to his good recent form on the PGA Tour.
The top five money-winners, not already exempt, in the five tournaments up to and including last week's Greater Hartford Open, as well as the Players Championship, earned late tickets to St Andrews.
Notah Begay, Chris Di Marco, Tom Scherrer, Dennis Paulson and Damron were the lucky five, with Chalmers coming in sixth.
However, while Chalmers will take his chances trying next Sunday and Monday to qualify for the British, Damron probably won't even contest the championship, even though he doesn't have to pre-qualify.
Something seems wrong with this picture, but you can't force a horse to drink, as the old saying goes.
"I hate not to go, but I'm not excited about it this year, for some reason," Damron said after tieing for 41st at the Advil Western Open.
"It's a long trip and it always takes a lot out of me. If I go over, I have to miss the week before and week after (on the PGA Tour). I feel I could push higher on the money list if I stay here, rather than going over there and risk losing my game.
"I'm playing well, but I'm not sure I'm playing well enough to go and contend for the lead on Sunday, especially on a course like (St Andrews) where I've only played once. It's definitely a track for guys who know their way around there."
Damron will play this week's Greater Milwaukee Open, and says that there's still a slight chance that if he has a good week, he will change his mind and jump on a plane across the Atlantic (I refuse to call it a pond). He has a plane reservation, just in case.
Robert Damron - Unlikely to make the trip to St Andrews. Allsport.
To be fair to Damron, he has played one British Open, in 1997, and did try to qualify one other time, so perhaps he should be cut some slack.
But Chalmers won't be happy to hear of Damron's probable absence: "I always planned that if I had enough money up (to be sure of keeping my card), I'd go," said the lefty.
"The 2000 Open, I'd do anything to get in that event."
