There are times when golf can be quite brutal to its bygone heroes, and nowhere is this truer than in the final qualifying for the British Open.

Past deeds mean next to nothing and it doesn't matter if the player is someone who nearly got his hands on the old claret jug as recently as 1999, aka Jean Van de Velde, or was instrumental in lifting the Ryder Cup some four years earlier, like Philip Walton.

Yesterday, on four links courses that dot the north-west coast of England, the Frenchman and the Irishman were among those who set out on the first round of 36-holes qualifying for a place in the field for the championship which starts at Royal Lytham & St Annes on Thursday.

With just eight places on offer at each course, qualifying is laced with tension and hard luck stories.

Van de Velde knows all about such demands. In Carnoustie two years ago, he led the British Open by three shots standing on the 72nd tee only to take a triple bogey seven and eventually lose in a play-off to Paul Lawrie.

Playing at Southport & Ainsdale, Van de Velde - who has based himself on the US Tour for much of the past two seasons - shot a two-under-par 70 that put him into tied-12th and still with some work to do if he is to take his place in the main event.

"To play in the British Open is very important to me," he insisted, after a round that featured a number of missed short putts. "I didn't putt as well as I normally do, and that didn't make me very happy."

At least Van de Velde's dream lives on, trailing as he trails a four-man group that includes Greg Turner by just two shots going into the second qualifying round.

In contrast, Walton's chances of booking his place in the championship are remote. Competing on the same course, where there is a high emphasis on course management, the Dubliner had a 78 that effectively ended his qualifying chances before they got an opportunity to get started.

Indeed, of the 12 Irish players attempting to qualify, and join Darren Clarke, Padraig Harrington, Paul McGinley and Michael Hoey, who are already exempt, the best positioned player is Dundalk club professional Leslie Walker, who shot a two-under-par 70 at St Annes Old Links to lie in tied-17th place, five shots behind a pair of English amateurs.

Also on that course, Des Smyth had an opening 71 to face an uphill task in his efforts to qualify.