DORSET professionals Martyn Thompson and Ben Welch continue their Open quests tomorrow.

Both players are just one step away from qualifying for this year’s third major of the year at Royal St George’s next month.

Thompson and Welch clinched their places in the ‘local final qualifying’ stage by finishing in the top 16 at last week’s regional qualifier at Ferndown.

Parkstone’s Thompson, who played in the 1995 and 1999 Opens, tees off at 07.10 (first tee) and 12.40 (10th tee) at Rye with Ryan Newman (unattached) and Paul Maddy (Gog Magog).

Remedy Oak’s Welch, meanwhile, is paired up with amateurs Jack Hiluta (Chelmsford) and Warren Harmston (Wentworth) at Royal Cinque Ports.

The group’s start times are 07.05 and 12.35 from the 10th and first tees respectively.

Just three players from each of the four qualifying courses go through to the Open on July 14-17.

There are 74 players at each venue, which also include Littlestone and Prince’s.

Among those looking to qualify from Welch’s course are European Tour winners Paul Broadhurst and Jose Manual Lara, while fellow Wessex Golf Centre professional Jon Bevan joins Thompson at Rye.

Rushmore Park amateur Ben Stow, meanwhile, is vying for a top-three place at Littlestone with European Tour stars Joakim Haeggman and Markus Brier.

Ryder Cup captain Jose Maria Olazabal, however, has withdrawn from Stow's course.

The 45-year-old, who has battled with arthritic pains for over 15 years, has also pulled out of the French Open starting on Thursday, but is still in the field for next week's Scottish Open.

New Zealand’s Michael Campbell, who won the 2005 US Open, plays at Prince’s in Kent.