Southport, England, 13th July 1998 -  John Cook, runner-up in the 1992 British Open, has withdrawn from this week's Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.

Cook, winner of the PGA Tour's Byron Nelson Classic in May, cited "personal reasons" for his decision.

His withdrawal reduces the number of exempt players to 102, leaving 54 instead of 53 places available in the final qualifying competition concluding at four courses Monday.