ROB DINWIDDIE’S Open Championship debut came to an end prematurely on the Old Course at St Andrews but the whole experience has given him the hunger for more.

After 16 attempts to qualify for the Open, Dinwiddie has not reached the weekend’s play after carding a second round five-over 77 which ended any hopes he had of playing on Sunday.

The Barnard Castle golfer gave himself a number of opportunities to climb up towards the cut mark but he was never able to get his putter going and his hopes were dashed with a six-over two round total.

Although disappointed the 32-year-old is determined to be back competing on the Open stage again – hopefully without the long wait this time around.

“It was still the Open,” said Dinwiddie. “The sun was shining coming up 18 and it was still a lovely experience. I’m sorry that I didn’t play a bit better.

“I am knackered, absolutely knackered. It was still the Open, my first one at St Andrews, so it was going to feel different to everything else.

“But I am really gutted I didn’t play better. It is good experience for me. I have got some extra knowledge from playing here and I will take that with me now in to the future. It definitely gives you the bug. So I am looking forward to the next one.”

After the horrendously late finish in the cold temperatures in Fife on Thursday night in the dark, Dinwiddie’s frustrations deepened when his lunch-time tee off had to be put back nearly three hours because of the rain delay.

As first Open appearances go it was hardly ideal, but he was not blaming those factors on the outcome – even though the strong winds around the tenth contributed to a four putt for a triple bogey seven.

“I didn’t play particularly well and the wind got the better of me on the tenth and 11th greens,” he said. “It’s kind of hard to keep going after that but you never know because you can always hit five birdies in a row.

“I didn’t have any luck on the greens. But I don’t think anyone will have found it easy. I didn’t start off well enough. I could have given myself a lot more opportunities than I did.

“I four putted the tenth from eight feet in the wind. I was only two over at the time. Instead I made seven. I then missed a close putt on 11 and missed a putt on every green coming in. I didn’t hit a ball particularly well either.”

After a further bogey at the 13th – after hitting the turn in one over after two birdies at three and six – Dinwiddie steadied himself to post finish with five pars.

“It is good experience for me,” said Dinwiddie.”That’s the main thing, it was a difficult course because you have to be extremely patient with the way the ground flows and you wait between shots.

“I will have a couple of beers and then home. I have played a few tournaments and I am at Switzerland next week.

“I think there will be slightly less pressure on me knowing I have got through qualifying before and I have played in an Open. It is a little while since I played in a major. I didn’t play great but I know what I need to do well.”