St Andrews, Scotland, 28 February 2008: The R&A has announced Hillside, Southport & Ainsdale and St Annes Old Links as the Local Final Qualifying venues for the 2012 Open Championship, which will be held at Royal Lytham & St Annes. The clubs have historically played host to Final Qualifying when The Open has been played over the Lancashire links, and they will do so again in 2012.
Hillside Golf Club, Southport, Merseyside also hosted The Boys Amateur Championship in 2000 and The British Mid-Amateur in 1996.
Southport & Ainsdale Golf Club, Southport, Merseyside hosted the Ryder Cup in 1933 and 1937 and more recently was the qualifying course for The Amateur Championship in 2005, when the championship was played at Royal Birkdale.
St Annes Old Links Golf Club, St Annes on Sea, Lancashire, was the qualifying course when The Amateur Championship was played at Royal Lytham & St Annes last year.
ENDS
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