By Padraic Halpin
DUBLIN, July 2 (Reuters) - Irish amateur golfer David Howard, who was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at the age of seven, pinched himself when he woke on Wednesday to make sure his against-the-odds qualification for this year's Open Championship was not a dream.
The 27-year-old County Cork man, who only gave up a full-time job as a mechanic 18 months ago to concentrate on golf and is 1,456th in the world amateur rankings, came through final qualifying on Tuesday to reach one of golf's
four majors.
"Very surreal and it probably hasn't sunk in fully yet. It's mad," Howard explained from a petrol station near Cork the next day, at the end of a long journey home from Scotland.
Howard and his father, John, who caddied for him this week, travelled to and from the Dundonald Links course by ferry in a camper van they bought last year and have nicknamed the 'Wanderly Wagon' after an old Irish children's television show.
Howard credits advances in drug therapies for giving him a "new lease on life". In his early teens, after looking his disease up online, he had feared he might not make it to 27.
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disorder most common in northern Europe that primarily affects the digestive system and lungs and can lead to life-threatening lung infections. New treatments have transformed it from a disease leading to death at a median age of around 30 years to a manageable condition.
With some 1,400 children and adults living with CF, Ireland has the highest incidence in the world, according to the CF Ireland mutual help group, which counts Howard among its ambassadors.
"With CF, I don't want to regret anything down the line. I don't know how much time I'm going to have," Howard said.
"The main reason I do a few bits for CF Ireland is to show kids that it's not the end of the world to get CF ... It puts a different perspective in life, which I think probably helps towards my golf."
Howard, who only reached a low enough handicap to play in major Irish amateur tournaments three years ago, shot rounds of 69 and 71 to tie for second at Dundonald and advance to the Royal Birkdale Golf Club for the July 16-19 championship.
Howard said he went from "cruising to being under serious pressure" after a double bogey on Tuesday's 16th hole, and did not know for sure that he had done enough until his father told him on the 18th green and hugged him.
Howard is one of 10 amateurs who have qualified so far and will compete for the Silver Medal for the leading amateur, a title previously won by Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose.
"A Silver Medal would be nice," Howard said, "but we'll try to aim higher and see how far we can go."
(Reporting by Padraic Halpin; Editing by Kevin Liffey)
