Ex-delivery driver in UK wins final Open spot

SOUTHPORT, England -- English golfer Joe Dean isn't hauling groceries anymore, but he more than delivered Monday by winning the inaugural Last Chance Qualifier to earn his way into the 154th Open Championship. Dean, 32, posted a 2-under 68 at Royal Birkdale Golf Club to earn the final spot in the 156-man field. England's Andrew Wilson finished second at 1 under, while South Africa's Aldrich Potgieter was third at even par. "Any opportunity to get in The Open again, I'll gladly turn up and play," Dean said. "One-day events, I seem to play better. I don't quite know why, the mentality of trying to keep the same throughout any round and every round." Dean's longtime girlfriend, Emily, carried his bag during Monday's qualifier. They're getting married on July 21. When Dean was asked why the couple picked that date, he joked, "It was cheaper." It will be Dean's third appearance in The Open. He tied for 70th at Royal Birkdale in 2017 and for 25th at Royal Troon Golf Club in Scotland in 2024. Playing against a 12-man field in the winner-take-all qualifier, Dean took control with an eagle on the par-5 14th that moved him to 3 under. After blasting his drive down the fairway, he hit his approach from 250 yards to 3 feet with a 6-iron. "[I] just probably hit the best 6-iron I've ever hit," Dean said. "Fortunately, [the] wind caught it and it bounced pretty good. We didn't hear anything from the grandstands, but I don't know if we were too far away to hear anything." Potgieter made a birdie on the 14th, and then Dean hit his tee shot on the par-3 15th over the green. He couldn't get up and down from 40 yards and made a bogey, cutting his lead to one stroke. Dean took the clubhouse lead at 2 under, and Potgieter had to make a birdie on the 18th to tie him and force a playoff. Potgieter's approach landed in a greenside bunker. He ended up carding a bogey. Now a full-time member on the DP World Tour, Dean supplemented his income from playing golf by delivering groceries for the Morrison's grocery chain during the COVID-19 pandemic. The job ended up lasting nearly four years until he got his footing in professional golf. "I never regret doing it," Dean said. "I had a great time doing it. Met some really good friends and grounded me really well. My coach keeps saying to me, 'Don't let the game define you.'" Dean made his way through all three stages of the DP World Tour Q School in 2023 after a group of friends and sponsors helped cover the costs. Dean, who is ranked 264th in the Official World Golf Ranking, hasn't yet won on the DP World Tour. He tied for ninth in the BMW Championship and third in the KLM Open earlier this year. "Obviously, it's a great opportunity to be able to play golf for a living, and I'm really thankful for it," Dean said.