Golf

Thomas Bjorn says it will be hard to watch next week's Open Championship if he fails to qualify via the Scottish Open.

Bjorn was forced to miss the 36-hole qualify at Sunningdale last week with an on-going shoulder injury and, at 182nd in the world, has just one chance left to qualify for a 13th consecutive Open at Royal Birkdale.

The 37-year-old Dane, winner here in 1996, needs to finish in the top five on Sunday to grab the last spot available, but is not building his hopes up despite going into Saturday's third round at Loch Lomond just two shots off the lead held by former US Open champion Angel Cabrera.

"I've played 12 Opens in a row, I love that tournament more than any other in the world," said Bjorn, who finished joint second behind Tiger Woods at St Andrews four years later and then lost a three-shot lead with four to play to be a runner-up again at Sandwich in 2003.

"I will always tell you until the end of my golf career that that's the one I should win and certainly have the biggest chance of winning.

"It will be difficult if I don't make it but you turn off the TV, get yourself on the driving range and make sure that you're there next year."

Of course Bjorn would have been exempt for every Open championship until the age of 65 had he not blown that lead in 2003, but insisted with a smile he bore no grudges against the likes of Padraig Harrington, who won last year at Carnoustie despite a double-bogey on the 72nd hole.

"Those are the things that happen in golf," added Bjorn, who double-bogeyed the 16th at Sandwich after failing to escape from a greenside bunker.

"Ernie Els made a double bogey on the 16th when he won at Muirfield in 2002. These things happen at the end of major championships, mine was in a very dramatic way and you've got to deal with those things.

"You can't look at your situation and then think somebody else got away with it. Padraig deserved to win an Open championship. Ernie deserved to win an Open championship."

Cabrera held a one-shot lead over Ireland's Damien McGrane with Bjorn sharing third with Scotland's former Open champion Paul Lawrie, England's Simon Khan, Australian Richard Green and Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee, the first round leader.

But Colin Montgomerie was back at home preparing for next week after missing the cut by four shots following a second round 75.