The Open 2010: Paul Streeter is ranked 1,360 but he is at St Andrews

Paul Streeter played on a golf course for the first time at the age of 16, did not turn professional until he was 30, is ranked 1,360th in the world and the most prize money he has won is £3,000. At 3.37pm yesterday on a blustery 1st tee he stood over his first-ever shot in the Open as its most unlikely entrant. Streeter, making his debut in the sport's greatest tournament at 43, is the perfect illustration of why this championship is called the Open and despite having shot 76 on a day of low scoring, remained happy and confident last night. "It was really good for the first six holes but then went downhill," he said of the start that went eagle-birdie on 5 and 6. "I hate the rain and we had some really heavy showers, unfiortunately every time it was my shot it was a heavy shower." For a player who supplements his income by coaching at the Lincoln Golf Centre it has been a tough journey to experience this competition, qualifying via Lindrick, then Scotcraig. "I started golf at 16 as I had played a lot of football so I didn't really get into it," he said. "But my dad joined Sleaford golf club [in Lincolnshire] and I started there, got a handicap of 24, came down to five in the year and had a couple of lessons with Graham Bradley, who's still my coach. Then I progressed through club golf, played for my county and in 1997 I went to tour school to try and get my card. But I didn't manage that until 2000. For the Open, since being an amateur, I only tried to qualify around half the times I could. Sometimes I just forgot. Others it is so difficult that I didn't even feel I was playing well enough to attempt it," he said. "Again this year I was umming and aahing whether to go for it, purely for financial reasons. But my wife said: 'You've got to be in it to win it.' So with two days to go I faxed my entry form through to St Andrews." Streeter's professional career has been modest. That £3,000 purse was won six years ago at the Open de Sevilla in the season when he collected his highest earnings from playing golf: €10,217. His total return since joining the professional ranks 13 years ago stands at €50,375. Before joining Sleaford Streeter had been a complete novice. "When I was 10 I used one ball and would go messing around the sports field in Welbourne, where I lived," he said. "If I lost my golf ball I'd have to go home because that was all I had. We'd play from goalmouth to goalmouth and a post was the target. My only club was a nine-iron — it was a cut down one my dad got out of an Avon catalogue." Before beginning his round yesterday with four pars Streeter had played the Links Trophy at St Andrews but had never even attended an Open. The preparation for his debut included three practice rounds and he was one of the few to brave Wednesday afternoon's storm. "I actually played in all that rain. Because there was no one about I thought I may as well get used to playing in crap weather as we might be doing it," he said. "There were three holes without any rain, and the wind was horrific. I could just reach the fairways on some of the holes [off the tee] because it was so windy and the clubs were so wet. I'd stopped trying to keep them dry. I thought I'd see how I could play with the club wet through." Streeter's caddie this week is his best man, Martin Orley. "I'm sure he's [excited] — he got a few autographs in the players' lounge. He has a handicap of five so knows his stuff." Of finally taking part, he added: "Your first one and its St Andrews — that's always going to be a bit special. I just hope the weather stays the same." Streeter, who played with the Texan Brian Gay and Gareth Maybin from Northern Ireland, suffered with the other late starters as the windless weather of the morning turned to squalls. He got to the turn in a creditable one-under, with an eagle at the 5th, but struggled thereafter and finished on a four-over 76. Can Streeter make the cut, then? "Definitely, yeah. I know if I can play well I can do well. I won the qualifier by two shots and there were some good players in that. I'd like to feel I can finish top 25."