Clemons aims to make big impression at Troon

Dom Clemons finished 24-under-par when he won last month's Scottish Amateur title

Amateur golfer Dominic Clemons is hoping to make an even bigger impression than Justin Rose after qualifying for the Open Championship alongside the major winner.

The pair both finished eight-under-par in a 36-hole qualifier at Burnham and Berrow in Somerset to earn the right to tee it up at Royal Troon on 18 July.

Rose was the leading amateur at the 1998 Open, finishing in a tie for fourth place, two shots behind champion Mark O'Meara, but went on to win the US Open in 2013.

Asked what his goal is for Troon, 21-year-old Clemons replied: "To win. My confidence is up and down but self belief is the thing that never leaves me."

Clemons plays at the Gog Magog club in Cambridgeshire, having been introduced to the game as a young child by his father, who is a golf teacher.

But he spends much of the time in the United States, where he is currently studying for a degree at university before turning professional.

"The aim was always to play professional golf and play in the majors, compete at the top of the game," he said.

"At the moment, I'm in America, I've got one more year left and I'm just trying to finish off my degree and then I'll focus on turning pro."

'I feel like I'm getting better and better'

Dominic Clemons with Justin Rose after they qualified for The Open

Last month Clemons won the Scottish Amateur title by an incredible 17-shot margin, carding a brilliant 62 in the final round at Muirfield.

But he subsequently fell just short in his attempt to earn entry to the Open by winning the Amateur Championship at Ballyliffin, losing 4&3 to Denmark's Jacob Skov Olesen in the final under matchplay rules.

Clemons said: "I got to the British Amateur final. The winner of that gets an invite to the Open, the Masters and the US Open. Unfortunately it didn't go my way but I got another chance in the final qualifying, got to the top of the leaderboard with Justin Rose and managed to get a spot.

"I feel I'm on the rise and getting better and better. It was a great experience and I'm looking forward to playing against him again at Troon. It's nice to get my first major start before I turn pro and it should be good experience."

Clemons names England's Lee Westwood as his favourite player and even if the Open title proves beyond him, there is still the secondary target of matching Rose's 1998 achievement of winning the leading amateur's silver medal - which has not been done by an English player since Alfie Plant seven years ago.

"I'm looking forward to showing what I've got at Troon," Clemons said.

"We'll try and get there a few days early and get a feel for the course. I feel good, I've had a lot of links practice the last few weeks and if I play well, I'm sure I'll be right there."