The 153rd Open is only three weeks away now and the Open is nothing if not, well, open. The path to playing at Royal Portrush is available to anyone and that process began with almost 2,000 golfers in taking part in Regional Qualifying. Those qualifying events were held across 15 stunning courses in Great Britain and Ireland on Monday, 23 June. There are places in Final Qualifying on offer for those who shine at Bearwood Lakes, Caldy, Craigielaw, Enville, Ferndown, Frilford Heath, Fulford, Gog Magog, Hesketh, Kilmarnock (Barassie), Lindrick, Moor Park, North Hants, Rochester & Cobham Park and The Island. The leading finishers at each of the 15 courses will earn places at Final Qualifying on Tuesday 1 July. Those who compete in Final Qualifying at Burnham & Berrow, Dundonald Links, Royal Cinque Ports and West Lancashire will then have the opportunity to make it to Royal Portrush for The 153rd Open. After living their dreams playing football in the Premier League, two former soccer stars are now trying to make the cut at elite level in golf and play at the 153rd Open in Northern Ireland. Former Wigan Athletic and Hull City star Jimmy Bullard is playing at Rochester & Cobham Park, fresh from an impressive performance in a Legends Tour event in Greece, where he shot five-under over 54 holes to finish level with former US Open winner Michael Campbell and ahead of Paul Lawrie, Open winner back in 1999. Peter Odemwingie is competing at Enville as he looks to build on a golfing dream that was born during his time playing at Stoke City. The Nigerian international, 43, scored 37 Premier League goals across spells at West Brom, Stoke and Cardiff. He is perhaps best known in English football for his attempt to join QPR in 2013. The forward turned up at the West London club's Loftus Road home even though no deal had been agreed. Odemwingie only started golfing in his 30s but has qualified as a teaching professional and is hoping to compete on the Champions Tour after he turns 50. It is not just footballers who make the switch. Kevin Esteve, from Andorra, competed at consecutive Winter Olympics before swapping the ski pistes for the golf course. Amateur golfer Austin Lemieux, the son of ice hockey great Mario Lemieux – a gold medallist with Canada in Salt Lake City two decades ago – will be looking to step out of his father’s shadow at Craigielaw. Regional Qualifying also offers a path for current and former amateurs to make The Open, including Ashley Chesters who finished T12 in The 144rd Open at St Andrews 10 years ago. Chesters secured his place at back-to-back Opens in 2014 and 2015 by winning the European Amateur Championship two years running, following in the footsteps of the likes of Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia.