The Open Championship left one spot open in its field. A former truck driver claimed it

SOUTHPORT, England — Joe Dean claimed the final spot in The Open Championship with a dramatic victory in the Last Chance Qualifier at Royal Birkdale, just days before he is due to get married.

The 32-year-old Englishman edged out Andrew Wilson with an impressive 68 to win by a shot and qualify for the final major of the year with his wife-to-be, Emily, back on the bag.

Dean, a DP World Tour pro who previously worked as a part-time truck driver to help cover the costs of competing, filled the 156th spot and will now play in The Open for the third time.

His “stressful” round included a stunning eagle on No. 14 but difficult holes either side, and he was left sweating in the clubhouse as the 21-year-old South African, Aldrich Potgieter, needed a birdie on 18 to force a play-off, but dropped a shot.

Speaking after the round with sore feet and no accommodation plans for the week, Dean said: “I was watching the scoreboards all the way round and I saw the guys hovering close by.

“It felt firm out there and the course is demanding, but I tend to do better in one-day events, and when there’s an opportunity to get into The Open, I’m all for it.”

Dean thought his opportunity had passed him by when he lost out in a three-man play-off at final qualifying last month, but he was thankful for the Last Chance, new to this year’s event. A pumped-up crowd cheered him on, but he was oblivious to the small group of spectators who wore Dolly Parton ‘Jolene’ (a play on his name) t-shirts.

“I missed that one,” he laughed. “They were probably friends.”

The inaugural event was an interesting shootout on Monday morning and entertaining throughout. As the best in the world stepped up their preparation on the range nearby, 12 players were out grinding on the course in the hope of landing the final spot.

Until January 2024, Dean was working in a supermarket as a delivery driver, but now he’s preparing for another crack at the world’s oldest major.

The field was made up of players who narrowly missed out on qualifying through the traditional route. Four groups of three teed off early and were finished shortly after midday, with larger crowds joining on the back nine. The grandstands on 18 were almost full by the time Dean made a solid sand save to maintain his lead and eventually squeeze over the line.

Potgieter impressed for large spells, but his short game let him down. Playing alongside Wesley Bryan, the YouTube golf star, Potgieter hit a number of monster drives but struggled to take advantage.

Dean, meanwhile, navigated the first two-thirds of the course without dropping a shot but came unstuck on 13, the hole where Jordan Spieth famously struggled when he won here in 2017.

A poor tee shot was followed up by an “even worse” approach. Dean then needed two shots to get out of the rough but escaped with a bogey and followed it up with an eagle to extend his lead.

“It was probably the best 6-iron I’ve ever hit,” the Sheffield native said of his 250-yard approach. Even a three-putt down the par-3 15th, a new addition this year, could not dampen his spirits as he closed out with two important pars.

The event was a success for The R&A, which introduced the new competition to enhance the spectator experience in the early part of Open week. On Tuesday, the Heroes Classic — a Texas Scramble three-hole event — will be headlined by defending champion Scottie Scheffler as part of a week-long festival of golf.