Ballesteros to bypass Carnoustie

Former champion Seve Ballesteros was the most notable absentee today from a list of 2,425 players who entered for next month's British Open.

After rounds of 86 and 80 put him in last place on his comeback at the Masters in April Ballesteros said his participation in Scotland "depends how I play".

The three-time champion, who shot 74-77 at Hoylake last summer, then finished joint last on his US Seniors Tour debut in May and has not appeared again since.

The entry list for Carnoustie, just three fewer than last year at Hoylake, includes 102 players who are fully exempt, while 16 further places in the starting line-up are still available at coming tournaments in Europe, America and Japan.

The remainder of the 156-strong field will emerge from regional, international and final qualifying events. More than 1,600 will take part in regional qualifying at Royal Dublin on July 3rd and at various courses on July 4th.

Presuming his wife Elin gives birth in time for him to make the trip - she is due in three weeks' time - Tiger Woods will be trying to become the first to lift the title three successive years since Peter Thomson in 1956.