THIS game's tough enough without the added pressure piled on us by the European Tour who, in their misguided wisdom, permit the Barclays Scottish Open to overlap with the first of final two qualifying rounds for the biggest event of the year.

I'm referring, of course, to the Open Championship which starts at Royal St George's on Thursday.

We professionals not privileged enough to gain exemption, I suppose I really mean not good enough, are faced with a dilemma. If we survive the half-way cut at Loch Lomond we then have to play out of our socks to earn a ticket to Sandwich.

The mathematics are simple.

Take away the players who have already qualified then pick the next best 10 or so to join them on their leisurely trip down to Kent to arrive in a relaxed frame of mind for the first practice day on Tuesday.

The rest of us have two choices. If we don't make the cut then we have to bundle our gear into the boot of the car and go hell-for-leather on a journey that will take most of a full day.

So, can you imagine how I'd feel on the first tee at Littlestone, wherever that is, at 8 o'clock tomorrow to scrap it out with an assortment of Tour colleagues, club professionals and amateurs all battling for a top six or seven finish on Monday which will get them into the Open.

By George, that's asking a lot from even a fit bunch of lads like us!

The other choice? Go home to Macclesfield and watch it on the telly.

But I don't want to do that. I'm a pro golfer and I owe it to my sponsors to flash their logos at every opportunity and they will be delighted every time the cameras home in on me.

Incidentally, we don't have to carry on at Loch Lomond because even if we make the cut we can still withdraw but I don't feel that's an option because the European Tour is my bread and butter. But everyone dreams of playing in the Open, and I mean everyone.

It's the biggest and best tournament in the calendar.

I'll be upset if I don't make it but it won't be the end of the world.

Other chances will come my way in the future but enough of the negatives - I'll be there on Thursday because I deserve to be so watch out for me!

Who's going to win? That's a difficult one because it's always wide open but if I had a few bob to spare I'd put it on Tiger now he's back in form.

JAMIE Donaldson was talking to David Birtill

Is it fair that many middle-of-the-road professionals must finish in the top 20 this weekend at Loch Lomond or miss their chance to play in the world's greatest championship at Royal St George's next week?